Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-13

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 5.0)

The bar chart provide information about the rate of eating junk food in cafe of usa in the year 2003 to 2013.

Overall, the frequency of unhealthy food in the usa is very high once a week in whole period and it is about 35%. While the quantity of every day eating fast food is very small that is a good thing.

First, the ratio of consume fast food in once or twice in a week is about 35 % from 2003 to 2013 almost 35 percent people take junk diet in their meals. There is also a 20 % of people who eat food a few times in week and here is also people who take unhealthy in very limited quantity in the year.

Secondly, the ratio of every day eating fast is about 3 % in the whole period. On the other hand there is also a people who don't eat fast in their diet that is so impressive thing but their ratio is to short. It is about 4% in the whole time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response identifies the chart’s general subject and attempts an overview, but it reports the data inaccurately and leaves important comparisons unclear. The claim that weekly eating was “about 35%” throughout is incorrect: once-a-week figures are 31%, 33% and 28%, while the 33% peak in 2013 belongs to eating once or twice a month. The statement that “20%” ate a few times a week also misreads the chart; that category is several times a week, and its values range from 16% to 20%. Some figures, such as daily eating at around 3% and never eating at around 4%, are broadly accurate. To improve, describe the main shifts across all categories and distinguish the frequency labels precisely, without adding opinions such as “that is a good thing.”

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure: an introduction, an overview and two body paragraphs. Sequencing words such as “Overall,” “First” and “Secondly” help signal the stages of the response. However, the progression is not consistently clear because the body paragraphs group figures imprecisely and do not compare the three years in a systematic way. Phrases such as “here is also people who take unhealthy in very limited quantity” are difficult to connect to a specific chart category. The overview also repeats ideas about low daily and non-consumption rather than setting out the main trends. Organise the body by related categories, use clear references to each year, and ensure each comparison follows logically from the previous one.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant vocabulary, including “frequency,” “ratio,” “period” and “about,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate for describing this chart. “Junk food in cafe,” “unhealthy food” and “junk diet” do not precisely describe the chart’s measure of eating at fast-food restaurants, while “quantity” is not suitable for frequency. Repetition of “ratio” and “about” also limits precision. Aim for accurate chart language such as “the proportion of people,” “ate at fast-food restaurants,” and “rose/fell/remained stable.” Avoid evaluative phrases such as “impressive thing,” which are not appropriate in an objective summary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts a few complex structures, including “While the quantity … is very small” and “On the other hand,” but most sentences rely on simple patterns, and errors are frequent enough to make some passages difficult to follow. Examples include subject–verb agreement in “The bar chart provide,” missing or incorrect articles in “in cafe of usa,” and the awkward construction “the ratio of consume fast food.” The sentence beginning “There is also a 20%” continues with an unclear clause, and “their ratio is to short” shows problems with sentence formation. Use complete, controlled sentences and check agreement, articles and verb forms. For example: “The chart shows the percentages of Americans who ate at fast-food restaurants at different frequencies.”

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