Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-07

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 5.5)

The given graph demonstrates the number of shops that are closed and the number of new shops that are open in one country between 2011 and 2018.

First and foremost, number of shops closed starts from upto 6,500 in 2011 which declined and reached 6,000 in 2012. In addition, number of closed shop increased in 2013 and again declined in 2014. Furthemore, the line of closed shops significantly went down in 2015 and significanty increased in 2016. Later on, from 2016 to 2018, the magrin of number of shops was gradually drecreased and then increased and finally reached 5,200 in 2018. The graph of number of closed shop shows zig-zag pattern.

Moving forward, number of newly opened shops from 2011 to 2012 which starts from 8,500 in 2011 which drastically drecreased in 2012 and reaches 4,000. Moreover, the number of shops were constantly increasing till 2014 and suddenly decreased in 2015 and became stable till 2016. To add more, the graph slightly increased in 2017 and again went down in 2018 with the value of 3,000. Lastly, the pattern of newly opened shops shows ups and downs.

Overall, the number of closed shops was less than newly opened shops in 2011 and in 2018, tables turned around where number of newly opened shops were decreased and closed shops increased.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the two series and describe several major movements, including the sharp fall in closures in 2015 and the decline in openings by 2018. However, some figures and comparisons are inaccurate: closures fell to about 600 in 2015, not merely an unspecified low, and openings rose from about 3,900 in 2012 to 6,200 in 2014, rather than increasing constantly only until 2014 from the stated 4,000 starting point. The overview is also unclear: in 2011, openings exceeded closures, but in 2018 closures exceeded openings; saying the number of closures “increased” overall does not accurately summarise the fluctuating series. Select the clearest overall patterns and compare the two lines directly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: it introduces the graph, discusses closures and openings in separate paragraphs, and ends with an overall comparison. Time markers such as “In 2013,” “Later on,” and “in 2018” help readers follow the sequence. However, linking phrases are sometimes mechanical or repetitive, particularly “Moreover,” “To add more,” and “Lastly.” Some sentences also repeat the same point about fluctuations without adding a useful comparison. Improve progression by grouping the most important changes and contrasting the two series at key points, rather than narrating every movement in sequence. The final overview should clearly connect the opening and closing figures.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant vocabulary for describing trends, including “declined,” “increased,” “drastically decreased,” and “stable,” and the reader can generally understand the intended movements. However, the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, such as “the margin of number of shops,” “tables turned around,” and “the pattern … shows ups and downs.” Repeated use of “increased” and “decreased” also makes the account less precise. Spelling errors such as “Furthemore,” “significanty,” and “drecreased” are noticeable and weaken control. Use standard chart language and distinguish a sharp fall, a recovery, and a slight fluctuation accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the chronological descriptions are usually understandable. However, errors occur frequently in sentence construction, articles, agreement, and verb forms. For example, “number of shops closed starts from upto 6,500” lacks a clear grammatical structure, while “the number of shops were constantly increasing” has subject–verb disagreement. The sentence beginning “number of newly opened shops from 2011 to 2012 which starts…” is incomplete and repeats “which” without forming a clear clause. Articles are also often missing in phrases such as “number of closed shop.” Practise writing complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check agreement and tense consistency.

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