Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-14

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 graph compares newly opened and closure of shops in a particular country between 2011 and 2018.

Overall, newly opened shops were higher than closed in begning. Althoug closure shops had experience a rapid downfall, they were rose again in the following years and ultimately dominated bran-new shops in numbers. New established stores also fluctuated throughout the time period.

In 2011, 8,500 shops launched, which then fell to 3,900 in 2012. After a gradual increase of two consective years, in 2014, number again rose to 6,200, but fell again to 4,000 in next year and remained unchage until 2016. Later in 2017, numbers rose a little bit recorded 4,2000, and declined to 3,000 by the end of 2018.

Shops closure starting from 6,300 in 2011 and fell to 5,900 in 2012. In 2013, shops rapidly closed recorded highest value of 7,200 before falling to 6,500 in 2014. In the whole time period, 2015 was the year in which nubmers very quickly declined to 500, but rose to 5,200 with the same pattern, and in 2018 closed shops nubmers were approximately 5,200.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify both series and provide an overview, noting the sharp fall in closures and the fluctuations in openings. Several key details are also reported accurately, including openings at about 8,500 in 2011 and closures peaking at 7,200 in 2013. However, the overview is not fully reliable: closures did not “ultimately dominate” openings throughout the later years, since openings were higher in 2015 and 2017. The 2015 closure figure is also substantially understated as 500 rather than about 600, and the final closure figure is described as 5,200 without noting the dip to 5,000 in 2017. A clearer, more precise overview and accurate comparisons across the period would strengthen coverage of the main features.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and separate chronological accounts of openings and closures. This makes the two data series reasonably easy to follow, and phrases such as “In 2013” and “by the end of 2018” help signal time. However, some links are mechanical or unclear. For example, “After a gradual increase of two consective years, in 2014” does not clearly distinguish the rise through 2014 from the subsequent fall, and “with the same pattern” does not specify what pattern is meant. The overview’s claim that closures ultimately dominated also conflicts with the detailed figures. Use more precise comparisons and clearer references to improve progression and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “fluctuated,” “rapid downfall,” “declined,” and “highest value,” so the reader can generally understand the trends being described. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “newly opened shops were higher,” “closure shops,” and “shops rapidly closed recorded highest value.” Spelling errors—including “begning,” “consective,” “unchage,” and “nubmers”—are noticeable and sometimes make the text harder to read. Choose precise nouns such as “number” or “figure” when comparing quantities, and use standard trend phrases like “the number of closures fell sharply.” Careful proofreading would also improve control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast with “Although” and a relative clause in “which then fell to 3,900.” However, complex structures are often faulty, and errors occur frequently enough to affect clarity. For example, “closure shops had experience a rapid downfall” has problems with the verb form and sentence construction, while “Shops closure starting from 6,300” lacks a correctly formed main verb. There are also errors in articles and number expressions, as in “in 2014, number again rose” and “4,2000.” Aim for complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check tense consistency when describing past data. More accurate control of these basic patterns would make your varied sentence attempts easier to follow.

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