Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-31

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 chart illustred ammount of shops were newly open and the the number of shops were shutdown in seven years from 2011 to 2018,

As we can see very first in the year of the data higest number of show was opend. and minimum number of shop were declined. It is clear that in 2014 where ammout of new shop and declined shop were same like around 6000.

after a year the shops were tremendusly diclend ammount less than 1000, where

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response3.5
Coherence and Cohesion4.0
Lexical Resource4.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy4.5
Overall4.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

You identify the two measures and the period, and you attempt to report a comparison in 2014 and a sharp fall in closures in 2015. However, the response is incomplete and does not provide a clear overview of the main trends across the graph. The 2014 figures are described as “same,” although closures were about 6,500 and openings about 6,200; the opening series’ highest point was in 2011, but the claim about the “minimum number” is unclear. The 2015 fall in closures is relevant, but the sentence is unfinished and the remaining years are not covered. The response is also 69 words below the required minimum. To improve, give a concise overview and report several accurate comparisons across the full period.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is a basic attempt to move through the graph chronologically, using phrases such as “very first” and “after a year,” and the response stays focused on shop openings and closures. However, the ideas are not arranged into a clear, complete summary: the opening observation, the 2014 comparison and the 2015 decline are joined without a consistent progression, and the final sentence stops at “where.” The phrase “As we can see” does little to connect the information, while “and” is repeated in the opening. Organise the response into an introduction, an overview of the main trends, and a paragraph comparing key years. Use clear links such as “By contrast” and “Thereafter,” and ensure each sentence is complete.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You attempt some task-relevant vocabulary, including “number,” “opened,” “shutdown,” “minimum” and “declined,” so the reader can recognise the general subject. However, spelling and word-choice problems frequently make the description unclear: “illustred,” “ammount,” “higest,” “show,” “opend” and “diclend” are inaccurate, and “shops were shutdown” is less suitable for a formal chart summary than “shops closed.” Some phrases are also awkward or imprecise, such as “the number of shops were newly open” and “tremendusly diclend ammount.” Practise accurate spelling and use standard collocations for describing data, such as “the number of shops opening” and “fell sharply.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts both simple statements and a time clause, for example, “after a year the shops were…,” but grammatical control is inconsistent and the range remains limited. Errors in sentence structure and agreement appear in “the number of shops were newly open” and “minimum number of shop were declined.” The clause beginning “It is clear that in 2014 where…” is not formed as a complete, accurate sentence, and the final sentence is unfinished. Punctuation and capitalisation also need attention, particularly the comma after the opening time phrase and the full stop at the end. Build accurate simple sentences first, then practise combining them with clauses such as “while” or “whereas.”

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