Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-19

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 graph provides information regarding the number of shops that offs and the number of new shops that on in one nation between year 2011 and 2018.

Overall,it is observed that in year 2011 openings recorded the highest figure and seen sharp downward trend over the period.In addition closing trend marked it begins with high level and there is an fluctuations marked in the given time.

An analysis of the image reveals that in 2001 the openings of shops are dominant source it begins at around 8,500 and decreased in year 2012 upto 4,000 times and maintained same fluency in 2015,16 years and seen downfall trend to 3,000 times by 2018.

In Contrast,the closing number of types fir shops it is nearly around 6,200 and peak upto in year 2013 upto more than 7,000 times to hit the lowest point in year 2015 upto 500 times and stabilised for the last three years at 5,000 times respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the two series and include several relevant features, especially the high opening figure in 2011, the closures peak in 2013, and the sharp fall in closures in 2015. However, the account is only partially accurate and the overview is unclear: openings did not show a steady downward trend, since they rose from about 3,900 in 2012 to 6,200 in 2014 before falling. The statement that openings were “maintained” in 2015 and 2016 also misses that they were roughly level at 4,000, after the 2014 rise. For closures, the starting figure is about 6,400, not 6,200, and the final three years were not all around 5,000. Select the main turning points accurately and give a concise overview of the contrasting fluctuations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs discussing openings and closures. This gives the reader some organisation, and phrases such as “Overall” and “In Contrast” signal the intended relationships. However, progression is weakened by unclear or inaccurate links, including “maintained same fluency in 2015,16 years,” which makes the sequence difficult to follow. The overview also repeats general claims about trends without clearly summarising the main comparison. Use one clear overview, then describe each series in chronological order, linking changes with precise terms such as “then,” “whereas,” and “by contrast.” Check punctuation and spacing around linking phrases so they support rather than interrupt the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt a range of task-related vocabulary, including “downward trend,” “peak,” “lowest point,” and “stabilised.” These choices show an effort to describe movement rather than simply list figures. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unclear, such as “shops that offs,” “new shops that on,” “same fluency,” and “dominant source.” “Times” is also not appropriate for reporting the number of shops. These errors sometimes make the intended meaning difficult to understand. Aim for standard chart language and accurate noun forms, for example “shop closures,” “shop openings,” “remained stable,” and “fell to approximately 3,000.” Proofreading spelling and word forms will also make your vocabulary more reliable.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You make some attempts to combine ideas, for example in “Overall, it is observed that…” and “there is an fluctuations marked in the given time,” but sentence structures are often faulty, and errors can make the data difficult to interpret. Examples include missing or incorrect articles and agreement in “there is an fluctuations,” the incomplete construction “it begins at around 8,500 and decreased,” and the unclear phrase “to hit the lowest point in year 2015.” Tense use also shifts between present and past when describing the completed period. Use past simple consistently for the figures, and build shorter, complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs. For instance: “Openings began at about 8,500 in 2011, then fell to around 3,900 in 2012.”

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.