Shop Closures and Openings 2011-2018

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.

Annotated response

16 correction notes

The line graph the number of shops closed and opened from 2011 to 2018. Data is calibrated into thousand.

Overall, it is crystal clear that the majority of the shops were closed in two thousand fifteen whereas the minimum opened at the end of the period.

Looking into the details, shops , in comparison, it declined slightly and reached . Likewise, the trend of closing shows fluctuations between 2013 and 2014. Interestingly, in 2018 there was a dramatic reduction witnessed by around 200, which was the greatest change in a particular country. In the following years, there was negligible difference observed towards closing shops.

Turning to the further details, in the initial year, shops , which was the peak point in the given period. While in 2012 the counting of it reduced by nearly half, then after increasing with tiny fraction and touched to above 6000. Despite this, , and . , during the two years there was an almost similar trend of opening the shops, which drop with 500 and in last year the counting of it was 3000 in 2018 in one nation.

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 6.0

The response identifies the two lines, offers an overview, and attempts comparisons throughout, which is its strongest aspect. Its main limitation is frequent inaccuracy: figures are misread or invented (e.g., 65000 closures, 200 openings in 2015), and several statements are misplaced in time or unclear, weakening the reliability of the report.

IELTS criteria

How each score was decided

Task Achievement

5.0

The response covers both lines with an overview, but key data is inaccurate or unsupported (e.g., 65000 closures in 2011, about 200 openings in 2015, a 2018 drop of 200 that actually occurred in 2015), and some details are misplaced chronologically, so key features are reproduced only partially and inaccurately.

Coherence and Cohesion

6.0

Progression is broadly clear with linking devices such as 'Overall', 'Likewise', and 'Turning to', but referential confusion (e.g., 'the counting of it', unclear year references) and some mechanically used phrases reduce the coherence of the message at points.

Lexical Resource

6.0

There is a sufficient range of vocabulary for describing trends (dramatic reduction, plummeted, fluctuations, peak point), though expressions like 'data is calibrated', 'crystal clear', and 'the counting of it' are formulaic or imprecise and word choice is occasionally awkward.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

6.0

A mix of structures is attempted, but errors recur, including faulty tense ('had been closing'), inaccurate prepositions ('drop with 500', 'touched to above 6000'), and flawed clause construction, though meaning is mostly recoverable.

More responses with feedback

View all 5 responses (6.0–7.0)