Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-20

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 supplied line graph illustrate that from 2011 to 2018 the amount of shops closure and the number of recent shops that opened in a country. Overall, it can be clearly seen that there was a rapid decline in 2014 and from 2015 there was upsurge in the closure of shops.

Turning to the details, in 2011 there were about 8,500 stores opening, compared with around 6,500 closing. Afterwards, openings then dropped to 4000 in 2012. Roughly, at 6,000 the opening and closing of stores was almost same. The closure of shops has a huge drop in 2016 while the opening also has a fall in the same year and then remain steady to 2017. Hwever, in 2016, around 5,000 markets remain closed and steadily closing to the year 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you have identified some main features, the analysis is incomplete and lacks a clear overview of the trends. The description of the data is often vague, such as 'roughly, at 6,000 the opening and closing of stores was almost same,' which lacks precision. Furthermore, the report lacks a comprehensive comparison between the two categories throughout the period. To improve, ensure you cover all years and provide a more detailed summary of the trends, ensuring you meet the length requirement to allow for full development of your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into two paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Turning to the details' and 'Afterwards,' the transitions between sentences are occasionally mechanical or unclear. For instance, the jump from 2012 to 2016 is abrupt, and the final sentence is confusingly phrased, making it difficult to follow the logic of the data presentation. To improve, use a wider range of linking words to connect your sentences and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, logical flow that guides the reader through the data chronologically or by trend.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. You use basic terms like 'amount of shops' (which should be 'number of shops') and 'huge drop.' There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'recent shops' instead of 'new shops' and 'markets remain closed' when referring to shops. To improve, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary related to data description, such as 'fluctuated,' 'peaked,' or 'remained stable,' and ensure you use the correct terminology for the items being described in the graph.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'The supplied line graph illustrate' contains a subject-verb agreement error. You also have issues with article usage and tense consistency, such as 'the opening and closing of stores was almost same' (missing 'the'). The sentence structure is mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and incorporating a wider variety of complex sentence structures, such as using subordinate clauses to describe trends more fluidly.

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