Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-28

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 line graph illustrates the number of shops opened and closed in a country from 2011 to 2018.Overall, it is clear that both closures and opening shops experienced fluctuating situations throughout this time. Although new shops' numbers faced upward and downward trends, closing numbers experienced significant downward trends throughout this time.

To begin with, the number of new shops starts with the highest trend, standing at 8,500 shops in 2011 but falls rapidly to 4,000 in 2012. While the closing number were 6,500 shops and rose to 7,000 in 2013.Othe number of new shops experienced a fluctuating situation in 2013. Six thousand shops were standing, but it decreased again and remained the same over the next three consecutive years: 2015, 2016, and 2017, with 4,000 shops.Where closing shops faced a massive fall in 2015, almost 1000 shops closed that year.Later, from 2016 to 2018, the same number of shops, around 5000, were closed each year. Compare to the opening number of shops, which slightly fell, and 3000 new shops were opened that year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the chart’s subject and include several relevant figures, including 8,500 openings in 2011 and the sharp fall in closures in 2015. However, the overview is not fully accurate: closures did not show a sustained downward trend, since they rose to about 7,200 in 2013 and recovered after the 2015 low. Some details are also misreported or unclear. For example, openings fell to about 3,900 in 2012, not 4,000 as stated, and the 2013 figure was about 5,000, not 6,000. The final comparison is difficult to follow. To strengthen the response, give a precise overview of the contrasting overall patterns and report the main turning points accurately, especially the 2015 closure figure and the subsequent recovery.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable introduction, overview and detail section, and it generally moves through the years in chronological order. This gives the reader some overall structure. However, progression within the detail paragraph is uneven: the account shifts between openings and closures, and the sentence beginning “Othe number” makes the relationship between the two series hard to follow. Linking phrases such as “To begin with,” “While,” and “Later” are used, but some connections are inaccurate or mechanical, and the final sentence is an incomplete comparison rather than a clear concluding detail. Separate the two series into clearer groups or use explicit comparisons, and ensure each sentence has a clear link to the preceding information.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for describing trends, including “falls rapidly,” “fluctuating,” “massive fall,” and “slightly fell.” These choices help communicate changes in the figures, although some expressions are imprecise or unnatural for a graph report. “Experienced fluctuating situations” is awkward, and “highest trend” does not clearly describe the highest opening figure. There are also word-form and collocation problems, such as “closing number” and “Compare to.” Aim for concise, conventional chart language and use terms such as “number of closures,” “peaked,” “declined,” and “compared with.” This will make the descriptions more precise without requiring more elaborate vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including a contrast with “Although” and a time clause beginning “Where.” Meaning is usually recoverable, but some errors in sentence construction, agreement and punctuation reduce clarity. For example, “the closing number were” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “Othe number…” appears to begin a sentence without a clear grammatical structure. The sentence starting “Compare to the opening number…” is also incomplete. Several sentences run together without appropriate spacing or punctuation, such as the transition after “2018.” Review agreement and sentence boundaries, and make sure comparison clauses are attached to a complete main clause. More accurate control of these structures would make your range more effective.

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