Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · 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 4.0)

The line graph below illustrates how many shops closed and opened in a country from 2011 to 2018.

Overall, the number of shops closures and openings fluctuated alot in years. Initially the number of openings of shops were higher but at end closure of shops increased more then opening.

In 2011

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The opening identifies the chart’s subject and time span, and the overview attempts to compare the two series. However, the response stops after “In 2011” and does not report any actual figures or describe the main changes, such as the sharp fall in closures in 2015 or the overall decline in openings. The claim that closures “increased more” than openings by the end is not supported by the data: in 2018, closures were higher than openings, but closures did not rise across the period. The response is also 99 words below the required minimum, leaving the task only minimally addressed. To improve, complete the report with accurate key figures, comparisons, and a clear overview of the major trends.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is a basic beginning: the first sentence introduces the graph, followed by an overview signalled by “Overall.” This gives the response a recognisable starting structure. However, the ideas do not progress into a complete report, and the final fragment, “In 2011,” leaves the reader without a finished point or any supporting details. The overview also combines two comparisons without explaining how the trends develop. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and selected year-by-year details, and connect comparisons explicitly—for example, describe the opening figures first, then contrast them with closures. Ensure every sentence is complete and that the report has a clear ending.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses relevant basic terms, including “line graph,” “shops,” “closed,” and “opened,” so the topic is generally clear. However, the vocabulary is very limited and repetitive, and some combinations are unnatural, such as “the number of shops closures and openings” and “openings of shops.” “Fluctuated” is a useful trend verb, but “alot” is incorrectly written as two words, and “in years” is imprecise. A fuller report needs a wider range of accurate trend language, such as “rose,” “fell sharply,” “recovered,” and “remained relatively stable,” alongside precise nouns like “closures” and “openings.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response shows some control of simple sentence forms, particularly in “The line graph below illustrates how many shops closed and opened…” The overview also attempts a longer sentence, but it contains several grammatical problems: “the number of shops closures and openings” has an incorrect noun structure, “were higher” does not agree with singular “number,” and “at end” is missing an article. The phrase “more then opening” also lacks a clear grammatical comparison. The unfinished “In 2011” is not a complete sentence. Practise accurate singular/plural agreement and complete comparative clauses, then use a mix of simple and complex sentences to describe changes across the years.

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