Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

The bar chart illustates the porportion of people ate fast food between 2003 and 2013 in USA.

Overall, many poeple ate fast food once a week or once a twice in a month, while very people ate out every day or never.The number did not change in 10 yeras.

In 2003, 31% of poeple ate once a week and 30% poeple ate once or twice a month.The people ate few times a year was 13% and many people ate sveral times a week was 17%.On the other hand, the people ate 20% in 2013 several times a week, while the people ate

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the chart’s subject and give a relevant overview by noting that weekly and monthly visits were common, while daily visits and never eating out were uncommon. However, the overview is inaccurate when you say the figures “did not change in 10 years”: the leading frequency shifted from once a week in 2003 and 2006 to once or twice a month in 2013. The report gives only a few figures, and the final comparison is cut off, so the 2013 data and overall changes are not adequately covered. The response also contains 102 words, below the required 150, which limits how fully you can summarise the chart. Include the main trends and complete comparisons across all three years.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph with selected figures. The sequence from general features to 2003 data is understandable, and “On the other hand” signals a comparison. However, the response stops mid-sentence at “while the people ate,” leaving the final idea incomplete and preventing a clear progression through the years. Several details are crowded into one paragraph, and the contrast marker does not clearly connect the figures that follow. Use separate, purposeful paragraphs for the overview and the detailed comparisons, and link each year’s figures explicitly. Completing the response would also make the organisation feel more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “proportion,” “bar chart,” and frequency phrases such as “once a week” and “once or twice a month.” These choices make the topic recognisable, but the range is limited and several spelling errors distract the reader: “illustates,” “porportion,” “poeple,” “yeras,” and “sveral.” Some expressions are also awkward, such as “very people” and “The people ate 20%,” which do not clearly describe the share of respondents. Aim for accurate, varied reporting language, for example “the proportion who ate out” and “accounted for.” Proofread spelling and use consistent phrases to describe how often people visited.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response mainly uses short, simple statements and attempts a contrast with “while,” but the range of sentence structures is limited. Errors occur frequently in basic patterns, as in “the proportion of people ate fast food,” where a relative clause or noun phrase is needed, and “30% poeple ate,” which lacks “of.” The overview’s “very people ate” is also grammatically incomplete, and “The people ate 20% in 2013 several times a week” has an unclear sentence structure. The unfinished final sentence further affects accuracy. Practise forming complete comparisons with structures such as “The proportion who ate weekly was…” and check articles, prepositions, and clause construction.

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