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 illustration displays the amount of shops that were shut down and the new shops that got start up in a nation from the years 2011 to 2018.

To begin with, in the year 2011,the number of shops were opened the highest in quantity than any other year in the decade, with a considerable amount of closings of almost 6200.This was later followed by three continuous years that in which the closing proportion was higher than the opening proportion. The financial years 2012,2013 and 2014 were those years, with the year 2014 having almost similar quantity of shops opened and closed. Later,2015 was the year the broke this trend, with a higher amount of shops opened with a total of about 4000 than the closed shops of almost 80,which is the least in the entire trend. However, the trend changed again with the last three consecutive years. Here, the amount of closed stores were considerably higher. In these years 2016,2017 and 2018,the years 2016 and 2017 had almost the same quantity of shops opened and closed. However, the amount of stores closed in 2018 were quite same as the years 2016 and 2017 with amount just above 5000 which is almost similar to the year 2016.

Overall, it is clear that the trend had consistent ups and downs, with 2011 being the peak year in opening shops and 2015 with the least amount of stores closed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the graph, including the peak in 2011 and the trend shifts in 2015 and 2018. However, the analysis is somewhat hindered by inaccurate reporting of data points. For instance, you mention 80 closures in 2015, which is not supported by the visual data, and the description of the 2016-2018 period is confusingly phrased. While you identify the key trends, the lack of precision in referencing the figures prevents a higher score. To improve, ensure that your data points are clearly linked to the specific years and categories provided in the graph.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and an overview. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'However', and 'Overall' to guide the reader. However, the progression within the second paragraph is occasionally disjointed, particularly when discussing the 2016-2018 period, where the flow of information becomes repetitive and slightly confusing. The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to follow the comparison between the years. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring each sentence builds clearly on the previous one would enhance the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several instances of awkward phrasing and non-standard collocations, such as 'got start up' and 'closing proportion'. You rely on basic descriptors like 'amount' and 'quantity' repeatedly. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'surpassed', or 'a significant decline'. While the meaning is clear, the lack of variety and occasional inaccuracies in word choice limit the score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. You frequently struggle with subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'the number of shops were opened' (should be 'was') and 'the year the broke this trend' (should be 'that'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after commas (e.g., '2011,the', '2012,2013'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to detract from the overall quality of the writing. Focusing on proofreading for basic grammatical errors would be highly beneficial.

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