Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-07-24

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 6.5)

The bar chart illustrates the information about the frequency of eating at fast food restaurants among individuals in the USA from 2003 to 2013. The units are given in percentages.

Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that once a week reached the highest percentages of people, while every day and never recorded the smallest figures.

To begin with, it is evident once a week in 2006 accounted for 33% of the total, whereas it was higher by 5 percentage points in 2013, which occupied 28%. Moreover, a few times a year in 2006 and 2013 had the narrowest gap, making up 15% and 15%. Additionally, never in 2006 and 2013 were broadly similar, representing roughly 4% each.

By contrast, once or twice a month in 2013 represented approximately 33%, while it was less than 3 percentage points in 2003, which occupied 30% . The largest disparity can be observed between once or twice a month in 2006 and every day in 2003, at 25% and 4%. It is worth highlighting that several times a week in 2013 was half of once or twice a month in 2003, the figures were approximately 15% and 30% respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main features of the chart and makes relevant comparisons. You have successfully identified the trends for the categories provided. However, there are some inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, you state that 'once a week' in 2006 was 33% and 'higher by 5 percentage points in 2013, which occupied 28%'. This is mathematically contradictory; if it was higher, it should be a larger number, not smaller. Additionally, the comparison of 'once or twice a month' in 2013 (33%) versus 2003 (30%) is slightly confusing in its phrasing. Ensure that your data points are accurately transcribed and that your comparative language clearly reflects the numerical differences shown in the chart.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', 'Additionally', and 'By contrast' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the logical flow within the final paragraph is hindered by the confusing comparison of data points. The paragraphing is appropriate, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the general overview to specific data points. To improve, focus on ensuring that the relationship between sentences is always clear and that your referencing (e.g., 'the figures') consistently points back to the correct data.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'frequency', 'disparity', and 'percentage points'. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, which is generally successful. However, there are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'reached the highest percentages of people' (which is slightly awkward) and 'occupied' used to describe a percentage value. While these do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Expanding your range of synonyms for 'increase', 'decrease', and 'fluctuate' would further enhance your lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'once a week in 2006 accounted for 33% of the total, whereas it was higher by 5 percentage points in 2013, which occupied 28%'. This sentence is grammatically confusing due to the internal contradiction. Another example is 'never in 2006 and 2013 were broadly similar', where 'never' is used as a noun rather than referring to the category. While these errors are present, they do not prevent the reader from understanding the overall message. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your comparative clauses are logically sound will improve your accuracy.

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