Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-04

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 chart depicts the number of shops that opened and closed in one country between 2011 and 2018.

Overall, it is evident that the highest number of shops opened in 2011 and had declined over the period; however, closed shops fell its lowest point in 2015.

In 2011, although the highest number of shops opened just over 8000, around 6300 shops had closed. Subsequently, by 2012 opened shops dramatically decreased, at 4000, whereas closed shops also declined slightly by 300. After that, opened shops increased considerably by 2014, while the number of closed shops also increased in 2013 but by 2014, it decreased.

By 2015, closed shops fell its lowest point around just under 1000, while opened shops reported, at 4000. Followed by, opened shops remained stable at 4000 between 2015 and 2017. However, the number of closed shops sharply rose just over 5000 and then, remained unchange throughout the period. In contrast, closed shops gradually fell by 1000 in 2018.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the line chart, providing an overview and mentioning key trends such as the peak in openings in 2011 and the low point in closures in 2015. However, the task is only partially addressed because some data points are inaccurate or poorly communicated. For instance, the reference to closed shops falling to 'just under 1000' in 2015 misreads the actual figure on the chart, which is significantly lower around 600. Additionally, the description of subsequent trends in the final paragraph becomes confusing and contradictory, stating that closed shops remained unchanged throughout the period while also claiming they 'gradually fell by 1000 in 2018'. This lack of precision and some underdeveloped reporting place the task achievement in the intermediate band.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, overview paragraph, and body paragraphs that follow a chronological progression. Cohesive devices are employed to link ideas, such as 'Overall', 'In 2011', 'Subsequently', and 'In contrast'. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical. For example, transitional phrases like 'Followed by,' are used incorrectly as sentence starters, and referencing becomes slightly unclear in places due to awkward phrasing. Paragraphing is used adequately to separate distinct time periods, but the logical flow between sentences occasionally stumbles, preventing the response from reaching a higher band.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

An adequate range of vocabulary is deployed for the task, allowing the writer to describe trends using terms such as 'dramatically decreased', 'increased considerably', and 'remained stable'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, but some word choices and collocations are inaccurate, such as saying 'closed shops fell its lowest point' instead of 'reached' and writing 'unchange' instead of 'unchanged'. Spelling is generally acceptable, and minor lexical slips do not impede communication, comfortably securing a mid-level score by demonstrating sufficient flexibility for the requirements of the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing dependent clauses and comparative structures like 'although the highest number of shops opened... around 6300 shops had closed.' However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with prepositions, verb forms, and articles. Examples include missing prepositions in phrases like 'decreased, at 4000', incorrect verb patterns such as 'had declined', and omitting necessary prepositions after verbs like 'fell its lowest point'. These errors in grammar require some effort from the reader to parse, though they rarely obscure the overall meaning completely, aligning the performance with the expectations for this band level.

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