Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

The given line graph display the percentage of shops that closed and opened in one country fron 2011 to 2018

Overall, it is evident that, the number of opened shopes was the higest over the term, while it gradually decreased, Furthermore the closed markets was recored the lowest percentage, but in future in rose up and crose the other trend

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response identifies the chart’s subject and period, and it attempts an overview by noting a decline in openings and a later rise in closures. However, it does not accurately summarise the main features: openings were highest only in 2011, not throughout the period, and closures did not remain the lowest before rising to cross the other trend. In fact, closures fell sharply to about 600 in 2015, while openings were higher than closures in 2015–17; the lines do not cross as described. No specific figures or clear comparisons are reported. The response is also substantially below the required 150 words, leaving the task only minimally addressed. Select the key peaks, falls and comparisons, and support the overview with accurate data.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: a brief introduction is followed by a separate overview, and “Overall” signals the shift to the main summary. This gives the reader a simple starting structure. However, the response ends after the overview, so there is no progression into selected details or comparisons. The second paragraph also joins several claims with “while” and “Furthermore” without making their relationships clear, and the comma after “evident” interrupts the sentence. Develop a clear sequence—introduction, overview, then grouped details—and use linking words only where they accurately show the relationship between ideas.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some task-related vocabulary, including “line graph,” “percentage,” “decreased,” and “rose,” so the general topic can be recognised. However, several choices are inaccurate or awkward for this chart: it shows numbers, not percentages; “opened shopes” and “closed markets” do not describe the two series consistently; and “crose the other trend” is unclear. Spelling errors such as “fron,” “higest,” and “recored” also make the short response less precise. Aim for accurate chart language and consistent terms such as “shop openings” and “shop closures,” and use verbs like “fluctuated,” “fell sharply,” or “overtook” only when the data supports them.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both a simple introductory sentence and a more complex overview using “while” and “Furthermore,” showing some effort to vary sentence structure. However, grammatical control is uneven. The opening should use “displays” to agree with the singular subject “graph,” and the overview contains a comma splice after “evident” as well as an unclear sequence of clauses: “the number of opened shopes was the higest … while it gradually decreased.” The final clause, “in future in rose up,” also has faulty tense and sentence construction. Use complete, clearly separated sentences and check subject–verb agreement, articles, and tense when describing past data.

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