Key features to report

• Closures were higher than openings in six of the eight years; openings were higher only in 2011 (about 8,500 against about 6,400) and 2015 (4,000 against about 600).
• Openings started at the highest point on the graph, about 8,500 in 2011, then fell sharply to just under 4,000 in 2012 before recovering to about 6,200 in 2014.
• Closures fluctuated between about 5,900 and 7,200 from 2011 to 2014, peaking at about 7,200 in 2013, and were only slightly above openings in 2014 at about 6,500.
• The most striking feature is the dramatic fall in closures to only about 600 in 2015, the lowest figure on the graph, followed by a rebound to about 5,200 in 2016.
• From 2016 to 2018 closures were fairly stable at around 5,000-5,200, while openings stayed at about 4,000 before dropping to 3,000 in 2018.
• Both figures were lower in 2018 than in 2011, but openings fell much further, from about 8,500 to 3,000.

Model overview

Overall, the numbers of shop closures and openings both fluctuated considerably, but closures outnumbered openings in every year except 2011 and 2015. Both figures were lower at the end of the period than at the start, with openings showing the more significant decline.

Paragraph plan

1. 1

   Introduction

   Paraphrase the task: the line graph shows how many shops closed and how many new shops opened in one country each year from 2011 to 2018.

2. 2

   Overview

   State without figures that both lines fluctuated, closures were higher in all years except 2011 and 2015, and both ended lower than they started, especially openings.

3. 3

   Body paragraph 1: 2011 to 2015

   Report openings at about 8,500 in 2011 against about 6,400 closures, the fall in openings to just under 4,000 in 2012 and recovery to about 6,200 in 2014, the peak in closures of about 7,200 in 2013, and the collapse in closures to about 600 in 2015.

4. 4

   Body paragraph 2: 2016 to 2018

   Describe closures returning to a stable level of about 5,000-5,200, openings staying at about 4,000 until 2017 and falling to 3,000 in 2018, so closures exceeded openings by more than 2,000 in the final year.

Useful comparisons

• Compare the two lines year by year to find where they cross: openings were higher in 2011, closures took over from 2012, openings were higher again in 2015, and closures led from 2016.
• Identify the extremes: the highest point is openings in 2011 at about 8,500, and the lowest is closures in 2015 at about 600.
• Divide the period into two phases: a volatile period from 2011 to 2015 and a more stable period from 2016 to 2018.
• Compare the start and end points: closures fell from about 6,400 to about 5,200, while openings fell much more steeply from about 8,500 to 3,000.
• Point out that the two figures were closest in 2014, at about 6,500 closures and 6,200 openings.
• Note that 2015 is an exception for closures and should be described clearly, since it breaks the general pattern.

Band 8+ model answer

183 words · An original model answer written for ieltswrites, not an official answer. It stays in English, as in the exam.

Why this answer scores highly

Task Achievement

The answer gives a clear overview of the overall relationship between closures and openings and the downward movement of both, then reports the key highs, lows and crossing points with accurate approximate figures.

Coherence and Cohesion

Dividing the period into 2011-2015 and 2016-2018 creates a logical structure, and linkers such as however, whereas and from 2016 onwards make the comparisons easy to follow.

Lexical Resource

A range of precise trend vocabulary such as plunged, peaked, collapsed and fairly stable is used, and approximation language such as just under and roughly is applied appropriately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

The answer uses the past simple accurately with complex sentences, including concessive clauses with although, relative clauses and participle phrases, without errors.

Useful vocabulary

shop closures

cases of shops shutting down permanently

new openings

shops that start trading for the first time

outnumber

be greater in number than something else

fluctuate

rise and fall repeatedly

plunge

fall suddenly and by a large amount

collapse

fall dramatically to a very low level

rebound

rise again quickly after a fall

peak at

reach the highest point before falling

level off

stop rising or falling and stay at about the same level

the retail sector

the part of the economy made up of shops

a net loss

a situation where more are lost than gained overall

just under

slightly less than a figure, useful for values between gridlines

the lowest point on the graph

the smallest value shown anywhere in the chart

Common mistakes

• Missing the dramatic fall in closures to about 600 in 2015, the most striking feature of the graph.
• Writing that openings were always lower than closures, when openings were higher in 2011 and 2015.
• Misreading values, for example giving 2012 openings as 4,500 instead of just under 4,000.
• Describing each line separately year by year without comparing closures and openings.
• Speculating about causes, such as online shopping or an economic crisis, which the graph does not show.
• Confusing the units and writing about percentages of shops instead of numbers of shops.

Frequently asked questions

Which Cambridge book is this question from?

This line graph about the number of shop closures and openings in one country between 2011 and 2018 is Writing Task 1 of Test 4 in Cambridge IELTS 17 Academic, published in 2022.

Should I explain why so few shops closed in 2015?

No. The graph gives no reasons, so simply report the figure accurately and highlight it as the most unusual feature. Adding causes is speculation and does not improve your score.

Do I need to mention every figure on the graph?

No. There are 16 data points, so focus on the highest and lowest values, the years when openings exceeded closures, and the start and end figures.

How many words should I write for this Task 1?

Write at least 150 words; around 170-200 words is enough to include an overview and the key comparisons in about 20 minutes.