Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-15

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 graph compares the number of shops in one country that were closed and the new shops that were introduced over the period of 7 years.

Overall, it is evident that in the initial year the shop closures experienced decline.Moreover, the number of shops opened were more than the number of shops closed.

To be specific, a clear observation reveals that in the year 2015, the number of shop openings dropped dramatically to 1,000; however it rose again to approximately 5,000 in the beginning of year 2016. Furthermore, the number of shops closed over the period experienced fluctuations and in the final year 2018 it reduced to exactly 3,000. The shop closures between the time period 2015 to 2017 remained stable at 4,000. In the starting year 2011 the number of shops closures were between 8,000 and 9,000; nevertheless the number of shops opened were between 6,000 and 7,000 in number. Over the period of 2016 and 2018 the number of shop openings remained steady. Moreover, the number of shops opened in the year 2015 rose dramatically after experiencing decline in the previous years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies the two series and attempts to describe changes, but the account is only minimally accurate and misses the graph’s main picture. Several key figures are reversed or misread: openings were about 8,500 in 2011, not 6,000–7,000, while closures were about 6,400, not 8,000–9,000. The sharp fall to around 600 in 2015 applies to closures, not openings; openings were about 4,000 that year. The claim that openings rose to 5,000 in 2016 and stayed steady through 2018 is also inaccurate. The overview is unclear and does not summarise the overall trends or notable extremes. Select a few reliable comparisons and check each series against the chart before describing it.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic sequence from an introduction to an overview and then supporting details, and linking expressions such as “Moreover,” “however” and “Furthermore” show an attempt to connect ideas. However, the progression is difficult to follow because the response repeatedly switches between openings and closures without a clear grouping, and several comparisons contradict one another. For example, the 2015 opening figure is described as both dropping to 1,000 and rising after earlier decline, while the final-year statement about closures conflicts with the earlier claim about openings. Paragraphing is limited, and some transitions feel mechanical rather than clarifying relationships. Organise the body by series or by key periods, and use clear references to distinguish the two lines.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The response has an adequate range for describing a graph, including “experienced decline,” “dropped dramatically,” “fluctuations,” “remained stable” and “approximately.” These choices show some effort to use more formal and varied language. However, several expressions are imprecise or awkward for this task: “new shops that were introduced” is not a natural way to describe openings, and “in the beginning of year 2016” is less suitable than a concise time expression. Repetition of “the number of shops” also limits flexibility. Some word choices contribute to unclear reporting, particularly where “opened” and “closed” are repeatedly confused. Use standard graph vocabulary consistently, such as “shop openings,” “closures,” “rose,” “fell” and “stood at,” ensuring each term matches the correct series.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex forms, including clauses joined with “however” and “nevertheless,” and most sentences remain understandable. Some grammatical errors are present, though they rarely prevent the reader from following the intended meaning. Examples include “the number of shops opened were,” where the singular subject “number” requires a singular verb, and “in the year 2015” followed by “in the beginning of year 2016,” which needs an article before “year.” There are also punctuation and spacing issues, such as the missing space after “decline.” The long sentence beginning “To be specific” combines several claims and would be clearer if divided. Check subject–verb agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries while retaining a mix of sentence structures.

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