Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-12

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 5.0)

The line chart illustrates the number of newly inaugurated shops and the number of shops that were closed from 2011 to 2018 in one country. Overall, both the number of new shops and the closed shops decreased and both follows the zig zag patteren.

The amount of shops that stopped their operations were at 8,500 in 2011. In 2012 they fell sharply and reached to 3,900. after 2012 their number went up for next 3 years and in 2014 they went to 6,100 units. and after 2014 they started to fell down again and number went to 3,000 to all time low in 2018.

The number of new shops opened started at 6,200 in 2011. They followed the zig zap patteren till the 2014 where they reached at 6,500 number. after 2014 they fell substantially and reached to their all time low to just 500 number, but after 2014 they started recovering and reached at 5,100 points in 2015 and after they followed steady patteren and ended up at 5,100 number.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response identifies the two series and the period, but its account of the data is substantially inaccurate, which limits how fully it reports the graph’s main features. It reverses the opening and closure figures at the start: closures were about 6,400 in 2011, while openings were about 8,500. It also describes closures as reaching 3,000 in 2018, when that figure belongs to openings; closures were around 5,200. The overview that both series decreased is too broad, since closures fluctuated and openings generally declined. The sharp fall in closures to about 600 in 2015 is also misreported as a low of 500 for openings. Check each series against the chart before describing its trend.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction and overview are followed by separate paragraphs for the two series. This gives the reader a basic route through the information. However, progression within the paragraphs is weakened by inaccurate sequencing and repeated, mechanical links such as “after 2014” and “and after.” The overview’s claim that both lines decreased and followed a zigzag pattern does not clearly prepare the reader for the details that follow. Some references, including “they” and “their number,” are also unclear because the figures and series have been confused. Organise each paragraph chronologically, use clear references to openings or closures, and select linking phrases that show the actual relationship between changes.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

There is enough vocabulary to identify the topic and describe movement, including “fell sharply,” “went up,” “decreased,” and “recovering.” However, the range is limited and several choices are informal, imprecise, or incorrectly collocated for an academic graph summary. “Newly inaugurated shops” is an unnatural way to describe openings, while “points” and “units” are not suitable substitutes for the number of shops. Repeated use of “zig zag patteren” also reduces precision, and spelling errors such as “patteren” and “substantially” (intended spelling: “substantially”) are noticeable. Use standard chart language consistently and choose verbs that accurately describe the direction and scale of change.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and longer sentences, and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, control is uneven, particularly in longer sentences that combine several changes. Examples include “both follows” and “the number of new shops opened started,” where agreement or sentence construction is faulty, and “reached to 3,900,” where the verb pattern is incorrect. There are also tense and punctuation problems: “after 2012” and “and after 2014” begin sentences without capitals, and several sentences are joined with full stops or conjunctions inappropriately. Aim for shorter, complete sentences when reporting each year, check subject–verb agreement, and use past-tense forms consistently.

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