Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-25

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 given line graph illustrates the count of shops that are closed and the number of new shops that reopened in one nation. Evidently, it is seen that the number of opening and closing shop was not steady.

Firstly, it was seen that in 2011 the new shop opened was around 6500. Later, in 2012 it got slightly increased to about 7200. Moreover, in 2013 there was seen a slight decrease in new shop opening it was around 6500. In addition in 2014 there was seen a drastic change it was seen a sudden drop in shop opening it was around 900. In contrast, in 2015 it again got increased and it was around 5000. Lastly, from 2016 to 2018 it was seen that there was no change.

The number of shop that was been closed in 2011 was around 8500. Then, there was a slight increase in shop closing in 2012 and 2013 it was around 5000. Later, in 2014 it was seen a sudden drop in shop closing it was about 4000. Moreover, in 2015 to 2017 it was no change in number. However, in 2018 again it got decreased and it was around 3000.

Overall, it was seen that the numbers were not stable for shop closing it was shown a decrease by coming till 2018 and in shop opening it was seen a slight increase till 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have identified the main trends and provided data points for both shop closures and openings. However, the report lacks a clear overview or summary of the most significant trends. Furthermore, some of the data points mentioned are inaccurate based on the graph (e.g., stating there was 'no change' from 2016 to 2018 for openings, when the graph shows a clear decline). To improve, ensure you accurately interpret the visual data and provide a concise summary of the overall trends in the introduction or conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often repetitive and mechanical, such as the frequent use of 'it was seen that' or 'there was'. The progression of ideas is sometimes hindered by these repetitive structures. To reach a higher band, try to vary your linking words and use referencing more effectively to connect sentences, rather than starting every sentence with a similar phrase.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is quite repetitive. Phrases like 'it was seen that' and 'around' are used excessively. There are also some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'reopened' instead of 'opened' and 'the number of shop that was been closed'. To improve, you should aim to use a wider range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'plummeted', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a marginal increase'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'the number of opening and closing shop was not steady' (should be plural 'shops') and 'it was seen a sudden drop' (incorrect passive construction). Additionally, there are issues with subject-verb agreement and tense consistency. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement will help.

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

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