Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-02

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 4.5)

This line graph illustrates data on opening and closing of shops from 2011 to 2018. It is represented with different lines. opening shops are shown with a dotted line and closing shops are shown with solid line.

In 2011 closing of shops was in peak with 8,500 and only 6,300 shops were open that year. In next the year discontinues dropped with 5,000 and in that year number of continuing shops also dropped with 200. In the year 2014 number of new shops was the highest with 6,050 in the same year number of closing was also similar.

In the following year changes continue to happen in openings and closures but in 2015 there was a sharp drop in their shop. In this year alone 400 shops were closed. In the same year there were number of openings decreased. In the following year the number of shops were opened and number of shops were closed. In some years graph reached a peak and for some time it was low.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response only partially addresses the task and contains significant inaccuracies when reporting the data from the graph. For instance, the writer states that in 2011 shop closures peaked at 8,500, whereas the visual data actually shows this figure belonged to shop openings, while closures were around 6,400. Furthermore, important trends and comparisons over the eight-year period are largely missed, and some descriptions are vague or incorrect, such as the claim that in 2015 '400 shops were closed' when the graph records 600. The overview is minimal and contains confusion between the two data sets, preventing the response from presenting a clear picture of the main features.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The text is divided into paragraphs, and there is a basic attempt to sequence information chronologically, starting with 2011 and moving through subsequent years. However, there is no clear overall progression, and the logical development is hindered by confusing transitions and unclear referencing. For example, phrases like 'In next the year discontinues dropped' create confusion regarding which data set is being discussed. Cohesive devices are used mechanically or inaccurately, and the links between sentences often feel disjointed, making the overall structure difficult to follow smoothly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and repetitive, with basic errors in word choice and collocation that occasionally impede communication. The writer frequently struggles with appropriate terminology for describing data trends, misusing terms such as 'discontinues' and 'continuing shops' instead of closures and openings. There are also issues with word form and unnatural phrasing, such as 'opening of shops' and 'in this year alone 400 shops were closed.' While the writer attempts some less common vocabulary, the noticeable inaccuracies restrict the lexical range to a lower band level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response demonstrates a very limited range of sentence structures, relying primarily on simple sentences with frequent structural errors. Attempts at more complex constructions are often faulty, and there are persistent errors in basic grammar, including missing articles ('in next the year', 'in same year'), incorrect prepositions ('dropped with 5,000'), and awkward word order. Punctuation and subject-verb agreement also show frequent lapses, such as 'number of new shops was the highest... number of closing was also similar' and 'changes continue to happen'. These frequent errors cause difficulty for the reader throughout the text.

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

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