Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-07-26

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 chart illustrates how frequently people in USA who ate in fast food restaurants between 2003 and 2013.

overall ,it is clear that once a week ratio is increased .on the other hand the everyday and never ratio is decreased.

in 2003 around 32 percent people ate once a week in restaurants.2006 it raised the ratio almost 2 percent and in 2013 around 27 percent people ate in restaurant which was lower than previous year. The second highest thing was once or twice a month where in 2003 30 percent people ate and in 2006 it was decreased by 5 percent and in 2013 it again increased around 33 percent .in 2003 5 percent people never ate at restaurants furthermore 2 percent decreased. and the everyday ration was lower than 5 percent in 2003 and in 2006 it was 3 percent and in 2013 it was stable .

Overall, the frequency of ate at restaurants senario was pretty high .where most of the people ate at restaurants once a week

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the task by summarizing the main features of the chart. However, the analysis is inconsistent and contains several factual inaccuracies when compared to the data. For instance, you state that the 'once a week' ratio increased, but the data shows it fluctuated (32% to 34% to 27%). Additionally, the description of the 'never' category is confusing, and the concluding summary contradicts your earlier analysis. To improve, ensure you accurately transcribe the data points and provide a clearer overview that highlights the most significant trends rather than listing individual figures without a clear analytical focus.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow is hindered by poor sentence structure and a lack of cohesive devices. Transitions between ideas are often missing or mechanical, such as the abrupt start to the third paragraph. The use of referencing is weak, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison of trends over time. To improve, use a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'in contrast', 'subsequently', 'meanwhile') to connect your sentences and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'ratio', 'ate', and 'increased'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'the second highest thing' and 'ate at restaurants senario'. These errors occasionally make the meaning unclear. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', 'a significant proportion', or 'a downward trend', and avoid informal phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains frequent grammatical errors, including missing articles ('in USA'), incorrect verb forms ('frequency of ate'), and punctuation issues. Sentence structures are mostly simple, and attempts at more complex sentences are often flawed, such as the opening sentence which is a fragment. Subject-verb agreement is also inconsistent. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring every sentence has a clear subject and verb, and proofreading for common errors like missing articles and incorrect tense usage.

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