Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The line graph illustrates the number of shops that closed and the number of new shops that opened in one nation from 2011 to 2018.

Overall, the number of shops closures fluctuated considerably, while the number of new shops opened generally decresed. In addition, the most noticeable chnage was the sharp fall in shop closures in 2015.

In 2011, appriximately 6400 shops closed, while around 8500 new shops opened. Moreover, the number of closures then fell slightly to 6000 in 2012 before rising to about 7200 in 2013. After that, it decresed gradually to around 6500 in 2014.

In 2015, the number of shops closures dropped dramatically to approximately 1100. However, it recovered to around 5600 in 2016 and remained relatively stable in 2017, before rising slightly to about 5900 in 2018. In contrast, new shop openings fluctuated and ended at around 3700 in 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student covers all parts of the task well, providing an overview and selecting key features such as the overall fluctuation in closures and the dramatic drop in 2015. However, there are minor inaccuracies in reading the data from the graph; for instance, the student states that the drop in 2015 reached approximately 1100, whereas the chart shows closures plummeting to around 600. Additionally, the word count is 145 words, which falls slightly short of the 150-word minimum requirement. This minor under-length penalty keeps the score at band 6.0, alongside the slight inaccuracies in data reporting.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. It begins with a suitable introductory paragraph, followed by a clear overview, and body paragraphs that effectively group the data chronologically. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'In addition', 'Moreover', and 'In contrast', though referencing is occasionally standard rather than sophisticated. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, overview, and specific data details. The logical flow makes the report easy to follow, supporting a solid band 7.0 performance.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an academic task, employing appropriate terms such as 'fluctuated considerably', 'decreased gradually', and 'dropped dramatically'. However, there are a few spelling errors, notably 'decresed' and 'appriximately', as well as a slight typo in 'chnage'. The range is sufficient to communicate the main features clearly, but these spelling inaccuracies and the limited deployment of sophisticated less common lexical items prevent the score from reaching band 7.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over past tense structures and time markers (e.g., 'In 2011, approximately 6400 shops closed, while around 8500 new shops opened.'). There are frequent error-free sentences, and grammar or punctuation errors do not impede communication. Complex structures are attempted with reasonable success, such as subordinate clauses introduced by 'before rising to' and 'while'. Overall, the grammatical control aligns well with the band 6.0 descriptors.

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