Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-03

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 illustrates the number of shops that have been closed and new shops opened in one country between the period of 2011 and 2018.

Overall, the larger number of shops have been closed and few number of shops have been opened.

In 2011, the number of shops which have been closed

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

You identify the graph’s subject and time period, and the opening sentence is relevant to the task. However, the response stops before reporting any usable data: “In 2011, the number of shops which have been closed” is unfinished, and there is no completed comparison or overview supported by figures. The claim that more shops closed overall is not established and does not accurately describe the full period, when openings exceed closures in several years. The response also falls well short of the required 150 words, leaving the task only minimally addressed. To improve, complete the report with a clear overview and select key figures and changes, including the sharp fall in closures in 2015 and the general decline in openings.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure: an introduction, a separate overview, and the start of a detail paragraph. This gives the reader an initial sense of how a Task 1 report could be organised. However, the final paragraph ends mid-sentence, so the information has no progression and the report feels incomplete. The overview is also too broad to guide the reader through the data, and there are no comparisons or linking expressions to connect trends. Develop each paragraph into a complete unit: state the main patterns in the overview, then group and compare relevant figures in the body paragraphs using clear links such as “by contrast” or “whereas.”

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use relevant basic vocabulary, including “line graph,” “number,” “shops,” and “between,” so the topic is identifiable. There is also an attempt to vary the description with “closed” and “opened.” However, the range is very limited because the response ends before it can describe changes or comparisons. Some phrasing is awkward, particularly “few number of shops,” and “have been closed” is not the most natural way to describe figures for specific years. Build a small range of accurate trend language, such as “the number of closures fell,” “openings peaked,” and “remained relatively stable,” and use “fewer shops” rather than “few number of shops.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response shows some control of simple sentence forms, and the introductory sentence communicates the graph’s subject and period. However, the grammatical range is narrow, with no developed comparisons or complex sentences. There are also errors in agreement and sentence construction: “the larger number of shops have been closed” should use a singular verb with “number,” and “few number of shops” is not a grammatically complete noun phrase. The final sentence, “In 2011, the number of shops which have been closed,” is incomplete and has no main clause. Practise complete sentences with accurate past-tense reporting, for example, “In 2011, about 6,400 shops closed, compared with 8,500 openings.”

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