Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-22
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 how many shops being closed and the newly shops opened in one nation from 2011 to 2018.
Overall, the figure of newly opened shops were minimal decline with some fluctuation. The number of shop closures were sudden decrese at the end point.
To being with, the number of shops were being closed stood at around 8500 in 2011. After that year, sudden decline was observed at 4000 in 2012, the number of shops being opened as the same figure. After the fluctuation they reached at the point in 3000 in the last year.
The number of shops were being redeveloped in 2011 at around 6500. In addition, slight decrese observed in the 2012, that was 6000. After the year, the figure was surged by around 7200. There was sudden decline noticed from 2014 to 2015 at below 1000. Moreover, this figure was continuous rise till 2018.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5
The student attempts to address the task by describing the trends for both shop openings and closures between 2011 and 2018. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the reading and reporting of the data. For instance, the student states that the number of closures in 2011 was around 8,500, whereas the data shows 6,400. Furthermore, the categories appear to be confused in the body paragraphs, and the extreme drop in closures in 2015 (recorded at 600) is misreported as 'below 1000' in relation to the wrong category. While an overview is attempted, it lacks precision and fails to accurately capture the main features of the graph due to these persistent data misinterpretations.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is divided into introductory, overview, and body paragraphs, showing an attempt at a conventional structure. However, logical progression is hindered by confusing transitions and unclear referencing. Phrases like 'To being with' contain grammatical errors and awkward openings. The relationship between sentences is frequently disjointed, and the paragraphs do not clearly separate the two distinct data sets (openings versus closures) in a logical manner, making the overall progression difficult to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is very basic and often repetitive ('number of shops', 'sudden decline'). There are noticeable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'newly shops opened', 'shops being closed stood at', and 'the figure was surged'. These errors occasionally cause strain for the reader and reflect a limited lexical range that is only minimally adequate to convey the intended information about the graph.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5
The text displays a very limited range of grammatical structures, and attempts at complex forms often result in severe errors. Examples of faulty grammar include 'how many shops being closed', 'the figure of newly opened shops were minimal decline', and 'the number of shops were being reverted'. Frequent grammatical and mechanical errors are present throughout the response, significantly reducing the proportion of error-free sentences.
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