Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-17

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)

First of all,the given graph shows the number of shops that closed and the number of new shops that opened in one country between 2011 and 2018.

The graph isullates the number of shops that have been closed in one country between 2011 to 2018.In these years much shops have been closed then opening new shops in one country.In between these years about 65000 shops have been closed in these years and the ratio of closing shops are much greater then shops opened between these years tn one country.

In my opinion,the number of shops are much greater then shops opening in one country.In 2015 about 65000 shops have been closed and in 2016 about 53000 shops have been opened and in year 2013 most of the new shops about 72000 are opened.In year 2011 about 85000 to 39000 shops have been closed as shown in given graph about these have been closed and opened.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response identifies the topic and period, but it does not provide a reliable summary of the graph’s main features. Several figures are substantially misread: closures in 2015 were about 600, not 65,000, and openings in 2016 were about 4,000, not 53,000. The claim that closures were generally much higher than openings is also inaccurate; openings exceeded closures in 2011, 2015 and 2017. There is no clear, accurate overview of the contrasting trends, and the year-by-year details are confused. The response is also below the required 150 words: it contains 133 words, with 22 copied prompt words excluded. To improve, give a concise overview and select a few correctly reported comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response, beginning with an introduction and then moving to comments about the data. However, the ideas do not progress clearly: the second paragraph repeats that many shops closed, while the final paragraph combines several years and figures without a clear sequence. Linking phrases such as “In my opinion” and “In between these years” do not establish useful comparisons, and the reference “these” is unclear. The response would be easier to follow if it used a clear overview followed by logically grouped details—for example, the early years and then the later years—and connected each comparison explicitly. Paragraphing is present, but the information within paragraphs needs more purposeful organisation.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to identify the general subject, with repeated use of “shops,” “closed,” “opened” and “graph.” However, the range is narrow and several expressions are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “the graph isullates” and “the ratio of closing shops are much greater.” “In my opinion” is also unsuitable for an objective chart summary, while “much shops” does not express the intended quantity clearly. These choices sometimes make the meaning difficult to interpret. Aim for precise data-reporting language such as “the number of closures,” “rose,” “fell,” “peaked” and “was higher than,” and check spelling and collocations before submitting. Avoid repeating the same basic terms when a more exact alternative is available.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response relies mainly on simple sentence patterns, with limited evidence of controlled complex structures. Errors in agreement and sentence construction occur in examples such as “the ratio of closing shops are much greater” and “the number of shops are much greater.” Tense and preposition patterns are also inconsistent, as in “between 2011 to 2018” and “shops have been closed” when describing a completed period in the past. Missing spaces after commas and inconsistent punctuation further affect readability. Some intended meanings can still be understood, but these recurring problems reduce clarity. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and subject–verb agreement, and build sentences around clear comparisons, checking each sentence for a complete and grammatically consistent structure.

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