Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-16

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 6.0)

The line graph compares the number of new outlets opened and closed in one particular country from 2011 to 2018. The figures are in thousands.

Overall, it is evident that the number of shops opened and shops closed fluctuated considerably over the period. The number of shops opened was highest at the beginning of the period and it was lowest at the end. Closure of shops in a country was almost similar with only small difference in the begnning and end of period.

To commence with, in 2011, the number of new shops opening was at its peak at around 8500.Whereas number of shops closed at same period was nearly 6200. The number of new outlets that opened dropped significantly and recorded a figure of just below 4000 in 2012. While number of shops closed accounted for 6000. Before reaching to 4000 in 2015, it increased constantly to record a figure of 6100. The number of shops closed drastically plummeted at around 500 in 2015.

Furthermore, the number of new shops opened was constant until 2017. Latter, in 2018 it reduced to 3000. However, the number of shops closed dramatically increased to nearly 5100. The number of shops closed dropped by nearly 100 before it reached 5200 in 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student covers all parts of the task well, providing an overview and selecting key features from the graph. The trends are generally reported accurately, such as the peak of new openings in 2011 and the dramatic drop in closures in 2015. However, there are a few minor data misreadings, such as stating that closures plummeted to 'around 500' in 2015 (the graph shows 600) and stating the opening figure for 2012 as 'just below 4000' (it is around 3,900, which is close, but some descriptions of minor fluctuations lack complete precision). Despite these minor inaccuracies, the main trends and comparisons are successfully communicated, satisfying the requirements for Band 6.5 to 7.0. Given the generally clear reporting of main features, a band score of 6.5 is appropriate.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into four paragraphs, including a clear introduction and an overall summary. Progression is generally logical, moving from the general overview to specific details across the years. Cohesive devices are used to connect ideas, such as 'Overall', 'To commence with', and 'Furthermore'. However, some cohesive links and referencing are slightly mechanical or awkward, as seen with 'Latter, in 2018' (instead of 'Later') and repetitive sentence starters. Paragraphing is adequate, but within paragraphs, the logical flow between consecutive data points sometimes feels abrupt. Overall, the essay maintains a coherent structure that allows the reader to follow the main points easily.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an academic task, incorporating words and phrases such as 'fluctuated considerably', 'dropped significantly', and 'dramatically increased'. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, but these are occasionally accompanied by word-choice or spelling errors, such as 'begnning' (beginning), 'Latter' (Later), and minor prepositional inaccuracies. While these lexical errors do not impede communication, they restrict the score to a solid Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing clauses introduced by 'while', 'before', and 'although'. There are several grammatical errors and omissions of articles throughout the text, such as 'Closure of shops in a country was almost similar with only small difference in the begnning and end of period' (missing articles and awkward phrasing) and 'Whereas number of shops closed at same period' (fragmented structure). However, the majority of sentences remain understandable, and the errors only occasionally distract the reader rather than completely impeding communication.

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

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