Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-01

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 line graph illustrates the shops figure in country how much shops should close while how much new shops open during 2011 to 2018.

Overall, in the beginning, the figure of new opened shops is far more than than the previous shops in 2011, which ultimately decline and closed shops rose higher than new opened shops by 2018.

In 2011, the number of new opened shops approximately 8500 which is higher than closed shops number that were roughly 6500. Afterthat, in 2013,they were in inverted fashion closed shops reached peak at about 7100 while new opened shops significantly declined to 5000.

By 2014 both numbers are in line at 6000 then in 2015 closed shops experienced drastic decline and reached to 500 in contrast new opened shops one third fell to 4000. By the end of 2018 closed shops surge to ten folds higher their numbers at 5000 regardless, new opened shops slightly drop to 3000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response provides a clear overview and identifies key trends, such as the initial dominance of new openings and the eventual crossover where closures became more frequent. However, the data reporting is inconsistent and contains inaccuracies. For instance, you mention a 'drastic decline' to 500 in 2015, which is not supported by the visual data provided. Additionally, the description of the 2018 figures as 'ten folds higher' is mathematically incorrect based on the graph. While the main features are highlighted, the lack of precision in reporting the data points prevents a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. There is a clear progression of ideas from 2011 through to 2018. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as 'Afterthat' (which should be two words) and 'regardless' used incorrectly at the end of the final sentence. While the structure is functional, the transitions between sentences could be smoother and more varied to improve the flow of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate to convey the basic meaning, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'the shops figure in country' and 'new opened shops'. The use of 'inverted fashion' is also slightly unnatural in this context. To improve, you should focus on using more precise collocations related to data trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'surpassed', or 'remained stable', rather than relying on repetitive or imprecise descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'the number of new opened shops approximately 8500'), missing articles, and incorrect tense usage. For example, 'By 2014 both numbers are in line' should be in the past tense. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing after commas and periods. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band.

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

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