Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-18
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 5.0)
The line graph illustrates the number of shops that closed, and the figure for shops who remained open in one country over an 8-year period, between 2011 and 2018.
Overall, the number of shop opening showed a downward trend throughout the period, while the number for shop opening depicted a considerable fall till 2015. After that, this number showed an increase in shops openigs.
The number of shop opening is 85,000 in 2011, followed by 64,000 shop closures.The figure for shop opening fell considerably to 3900 in 2012, whereas the shop closure showed a slight fluctuation between 6000 and 7,000 until 2014.
The shops opening continued to depicted a dowmward trend throughout the period, while shops closure declined substantially, from 65,000 to just 5,000, in one year from 2014 to 2015.Then, it reported a sharp rise upto 5,100 in 2016.From 2016 to 2018, it remained relatively stable.The shops opening decreased gradually, despite a slight fluctuation in between.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the task requirements by summarizing the main features of the graph. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, you state that the number of shop openings was 85,000 in 2011, which is not supported by the graph, and your description of the trends is confusing due to the inconsistent use of the terms 'openings' and 'closures'. While you identify some key trends, the lack of precision in data interpretation and the failure to clearly distinguish between the two categories throughout the text prevent a higher score. To improve, ensure you carefully check the data points against the axes and maintain consistent terminology.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow is hampered by repetitive phrasing and unclear referencing. You use some cohesive devices like 'whereas' and 'while', but their effectiveness is undermined by the confusion between the two data sets. The progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical, and the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, distinct focus. Additionally, ensure that your pronouns and references clearly point back to the intended subjects to avoid ambiguity.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are frequent errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'openigs' and 'dowmward'. You rely on a limited set of descriptive terms like 'considerable' and 'slight', which are used repeatedly. There is also a lack of precision in terminology; for example, you use 'shop opening' when referring to the data, which is grammatically awkward. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise synonyms for trends, such as 'plummeted', 'surged', or 'stabilized', and pay closer attention to spelling and word formation.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues like 'the number of shop opening is' and incorrect verb forms such as 'continued to depicted'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after periods in several places. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors suggests a lack of control over complex structures. Focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy, particularly verb tenses and subject-verb agreement, to improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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