Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-26
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 chart illustrates information about new and closed shops in one country between 2011 and 2018.
Overall the number of shops closures changed during the period while the number of new shops opened generally decreased. The highest number of new shops opened in 2011 and closures shopes reached the lowest point in 2015.
First clouser shops in 2011 is 6500 and new opened shops is 8500. In 2012 the number of closuers shops is 6000 and the number of opened shops is only 4000. In 2013 the number of closuers shops is 7200 and the number of opened shps is 5000. In 2014 the number of closures shops is 6500 and the number of opened shops is 6000. In 2015 the number of closuers shops is 500 and the number of opened shops is 4000. In 2016 the number of closuers shops is 5200 and the number of opened shops is 4000. In 2017 the number of closuers shops is 500 and the number of opened shops is 4000
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response provides a basic overview and attempts to report data, but it fails to meet the requirements for a Band 6 or higher. The description is essentially a list of figures rather than a summary of main features and trends. Furthermore, there are significant inaccuracies in data reporting; for example, the text states 'closures shops reached the lowest point in 2015' with a value of 500, which is not supported by the graph. The lack of meaningful comparison and the failure to synthesize the data into trends significantly limits the task achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is organized into a brief introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. However, the progression of ideas is mechanical and repetitive. The use of cohesive devices is very limited, relying almost exclusively on 'In [year] the number of...'. There is no effective use of linking words to compare the two categories (e.g., 'whereas', 'in contrast'). Paragraphing is present but the internal structure of the body paragraph is just a list of data points, which hinders the logical flow of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive, relying heavily on the words 'number', 'shops', 'opened', and 'closures'. There are frequent spelling errors such as 'clouser', 'closuers', and 'shopes'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate any flexibility or precision. The student struggles to use appropriate terminology for describing trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'declined', or 'peaked', instead opting for simple, repetitive sentence structures to state the figures.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response relies on simple sentence structures. While there are some attempts at basic grammar, there are frequent errors in subject-verb agreement and word order, such as 'First clouser shops in 2011 is 6500'. The lack of complex sentence structures and the persistent grammatical errors (e.g., 'new opened shops' instead of 'newly opened shops') indicate a limited range. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing periods at the end of some sentences.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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