Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-18

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 graph illustrates the opening and closing of shops in a country during [redacted phone].

Overall, the rate of opening of new shops keeps on diminishing with time. The closure of old shops decreased at a great rate till 2015, then increased and reached at 5200 till 2018.

First and foremost, in 2011, 8500 shops were opened which was 2100 more than closure. In 2012, 4500 less shops were opened comparing to previous year, but closure of shops was decreased by 400 only. By 2014, the difference between opening and closure of shops was the 100 which was lowest throughout.

In 2015, the closure of shops reached it's minimum point(600), but showed a healthy growth in 2016. The opening of shops remained constant during 2015 to 2016 (4000). In 2018 least number of shops were opened (3000). The closing of shops with a slight decrease in 2017 again reached 5200 by 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student provides an overview of the main trends in shop openings and closures, noting the overall downward trend in openings and the fluctuations in closures. Key data points are selected and reported, such as the initial figures in 2011 and the lowest closure point in 2015. However, there are some inaccuracies in data reporting; for instance, the text states that closures reached 5,200 by 2018 (which is correct), but mentions other figures that deviate slightly from the source graph (e.g., 2012 openings compared to closures). Additionally, the overview is somewhat superficial. While all parts of the task are addressed, the support and comparisons could be more fully developed to achieve a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into clear paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overview, and subsequent body paragraphs detailing specific years. There is a logical progression of ideas from 2011 through to 2018. Cohesive devices are used to link sentences, such as 'First and foremost' and 'In 2015', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. Referencing is generally clear, and paragraphing is used appropriately to group related information, ensuring the overall arrangement remains coherent throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, incorporating terms such as 'diminishing', 'fluctuations', and 'minimum point'. There are some awkward phrasings and word choice inaccuracies, such as 'keeps on diminishing with time' and 'reached at 5200', which detract from precision. Spelling is generally accurate, and vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main message, but a lack of more sophisticated lexical items and occasional collocational errors limit the score to a band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'In 2015, the closure of shops reached it's minimum point, but showed a healthy growth in 2016.' There are several grammatical errors and punctuation slips, including missing articles ('was the 100 which was lowest throughout'), incorrect prepositions ('reached at 5200'), and an incorrect apostrophe use in 'it's'. However, these errors do not impede communication, and the sentence structures attempted show a reasonable degree of control.

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