Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-05

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The chart below shows how frequently people in the USA ate in fast food restaurants between 2003 and 2013.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

 

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The bar grapgh compares the eating habit in fast food restaurants residents of America in years 2003,2006 and 2013

Overall, people ate once a week in 2006 at its highhest level while in 2013 going to restaurant once or twice a month was the faous activity among others. Eating fast food everyday was the least prefersance in all three years

In 2006, eating fast once a week was the most popular at just under 35% ,was the highest among other habits. people went to eat several times a week at 20% and a few times a year with 15% . eating everyday and nerver was at its least compared with other. In comtrast, the percentage of eating food ince or twice a week was at peak with aound 34% in 2013, people went to food court once a week at just under 30% was higher than habit of regular eating and several times a week , people went out for fasst food a few times a year at 15% and less then twi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify two important patterns: weekly dining was highest in 2006, while monthly visits led in 2013, and daily eating was consistently among the least common habits. Several figures are also broadly accurate, such as 20% eating several times a week in 2006 and 15% eating a few times a year in 2013. However, the report is only partially complete: it gives little account of 2003 and ends with an unfinished comparison, “less then twi…”. Some details are unclear or inaccurate, including describing the 2013 monthly figure as “around 34%” rather than about 33%, and saying “once or twice a week” where the chart shows once or twice a month. Cover all three years and complete the key comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an opening, an overview and a paragraph of supporting details. The overview usefully contrasts the leading habits in 2006 and 2013, and “In contrast” signals a comparison. However, the progression is incomplete: the body focuses on 2006 and 2013, largely omitting 2003, and the final sentence breaks off, leaving the comparison unfinished. Some links between ideas are also unclear, as in “people went to eat several times a week at 20% and a few times a year with 15%.” Organise the details by year or by frequency, use clear comparisons between years, and ensure each sentence is complete.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “percentage,” “most popular,” “once a week” and “a few times a year,” so the reader can follow the general subject. However, the range is limited and several word-choice, collocation and spelling errors make parts difficult to understand. Examples include “eating habit,” “faous activity,” “least prefersance,” “food court” and “fasst food”; “food court” also changes the meaning of the chart’s restaurant category. Repeated use of “people went” limits precision. Choose accurate terms for the frequency categories, check spelling carefully, and use reporting language such as “the proportion who ate out” or “the figure for monthly visits.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

There are attempts to combine information and make comparisons, for example, “Overall, people ate once a week in 2006 … while in 2013…” However, sentence structures are limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make some relationships difficult to follow. The opening lacks a clear grammatical construction (“compares the eating habit … residents”), while “was the most popular at just under 35%, was the highest” joins clauses incorrectly. Other problems include missing subjects or verbs, inconsistent sentence boundaries, and the unfinished final sentence. Practise complete subject–verb sentences and use accurate comparative structures, such as “The proportion eating weekly was higher in 2006 than in 2013.”

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