Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-21
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 graph illustrates the number of shop closures and new openings in one country over a seven-year period time from 2011.
Overall, the highest figure of shop closures were noted in 2013, while the highest openings of new shop was recorded in the initial year. The number shop closures fluctauted during the entire time-line.
In detail, in 2011, the highest numbers of new shops were approximately 85000, while the number for shop closures in the initial were rouhly around 64000. In 2013, the higest number of shop closures were just above 7000.
In the second year, new shop openings fell dramatically, only 4000 new shops were opened. In 2014, the numbers for openings ( approximately 61000) and closures ( approximately 64000) had less differences. Closing of shops exhibited a sharp decline of approximately 500 in the year 2015 but in 2016 the number significantly rose to just above 5000. In the final year, the number of shop closures were roughly 5200, while the figure for new openings were 3000 which was the lowest number.
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 student attempts to cover the main features of the line graph, including general trends and specific data points. An overview is provided, noting the peak in closures in 2013 and the peak in openings in the initial year. However, the student makes several significant data transcription and reading errors, particularly regarding scale and values (e.g., writing 85000 instead of 8500, 64000 instead of 6400, and misreporting the 2015 closure figure as approximately 500 when the chart shows around 600). These scale errors distort the accuracy of the reported data and detract from the overall quality of task fulfilment, placing the response in the lower-middle band range.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response has a basic structure, beginning with an introduction and an overview, followed by body details. However, paragraphing is underdeveloped, and the transition between ideas feels disjointed at times. Cohesive devices are used, but they are often basic or mechanically applied (e.g., 'In detail', 'In the second year'). The progression of information lacks smoothness, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, which creates a bumpy reading experience. More sophisticated linking words and better paragraph division are needed to achieve a higher score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range to communicate basic information about the graph, using terms such as 'fluctuated', 'sharp decline', and 'significantly rose'. However, there are numerous vocabulary and spelling errors throughout the text (e.g., 'fluctauted', 'rouhly', 'higest'). Furthermore, the misuse of numbers and scale results in unrealistic figures (such as 85,000 for a chart numbered up to 9,000), which heavily impairs the precision of lexical usage. Less common lexical items are attempted but lack accuracy in spelling and collocation.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as introductory clauses and comparative phrases ('while the highest number of shop closures were...'). However, grammatical accuracy is weak, with frequent errors in subject-verb agreement and prepositional use (e.g., 'the highest figure of shop closures were', 'in the initial'). Punctuation and sentence construction contain awkward phrasing that occasionally causes difficulty for the reader. The variety of complex structures is limited and consistently accompanied by grammatical slips.
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