Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-15

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graph below shows the number of shops that closed and the number of new shops that opened in one country between 2011 and 2018.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Number of shop closures and openings 2011– 2018

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The line graph dispaly the number of shop closures and new openings in in perticular country from 2011 to 2018.

overall, it can be seen that the number of shop openings shows clear downward trend throughout the period while shop closures fluctuated considerably.

The number of shop opening in 2011 was approximately 8500, which is the highest numbers accounted before dramatical decline to around 4000 shops in 2012 value then it shows rise upto 2015 with over 6000 shops before fall to 4000 in 2016 then it remain stable for 2 years and end with only 3000 in 2018.

The number of shop have relatively small value in the begining with around 6500 shop then it fall nearly 6000 in 2012 before rise to it's peak value over 7000 in 2013. The it falls to 6500 in 2014. From this year it show dramatical decrease with only 500 shop closures in 2015. Fro this it show th similar trend but in opposite direction number rose to more than 5000 in 2016 and remain stable in next years and end with the same number in 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the graph, including the overall trends and specific data points. However, the analysis is somewhat marred by inaccuracies in data interpretation. For instance, the description of shop closures in 2015 as 'only 500' is a significant misreading of the provided graph. While the overview is present, the reporting of data lacks the precision required for a higher band. The comparison between the two categories is attempted, but the inconsistent data reporting limits the effectiveness of the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'then' to transition between points. Some sentences are poorly connected, making the flow feel disjointed. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when describing the trends of the two different categories. While there is an overall progression, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the occasional awkward phrasing hinder the logical flow of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. There are several spelling errors, such as 'dispaly', 'perticular', and 'dramatical'. The word choice is often repetitive, relying on basic descriptors like 'small value' or 'rise'. While the student attempts to use some topic-specific vocabulary, the frequent errors in word formation and spelling, combined with a limited range of synonyms, prevent the response from reaching a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'the number of shop opening', 'it show'), incorrect verb tenses, and missing articles. Punctuation is also inconsistent, which occasionally makes the text difficult to parse. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction indicates a lack of control over complex structures.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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