Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-21

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 6.5)

The line graph illustrates the trend of the closing and opening of shops in a country from 2011 to 2018.

Both the openings and closings of shops followed a downward trend throughout the period. The margin between the number of shops opened in 2011 and 2018 is lower than that of closed ones.

Starting at around 8,500 in 2011, the highest number of closed shops throughout the period, the number fell to 4,000 in 2012, before increasing to just above 6,000 in 2014. The figure then declined modestly, remaining constant between 2015 and 2017, to reach 3,000 in 2018.

The opening of shops witnessed the most significant fluctuation, starting from approximately 6,500, the figure sharply declined to about 5,000 in 2015, which witnessed the minimum shops opened among all years. However, the number of shop openings managed to edge up to just above 5,000 in 2016. The figure then remained almost constant in the consecutive years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response provides a clear overview of the main trends, noting the general downward trajectory for both categories. You successfully identified key features, such as the starting points and the fluctuations in shop openings. However, the analysis is somewhat limited in its comparison. While you mention the margin between openings and closings, you could have more effectively contrasted the two lines at specific points, such as where the lines intersect or where the gap is widest. The summary is accurate, but further development of the comparative aspect would elevate the response to a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction followed by body paragraphs that address the two categories separately. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'However' and 'before increasing to', to link ideas. To improve, ensure that transitions between sentences are more varied and sophisticated. Some of the paragraphing is a bit abrupt; using more linking phrases to connect the overview to the specific data points would improve the flow. Overall, the structure is coherent and serves the purpose of the task well.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'downward trend', 'fluctuation', and 'modestly'. These choices are appropriate for describing graph data. There are some minor issues with collocation, such as 'the minimum shops opened', which would be more naturally phrased as 'the lowest number of shop openings'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the information clearly, incorporating a few more precise, less common lexical items related to data trends (e.g., 'plummeted', 'stabilized', 'marginal') would demonstrate a higher level of lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. Most sentences are grammatically accurate, and errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. For example, 'The figure then remained almost constant in the consecutive years' is well-constructed. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as using more relative clauses or participial phrases to describe the data. Punctuation is generally used correctly, and the overall control of grammar is solid.

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

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