Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-07-27

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 8.5)

The bar chart shows how often people in the USA ate at fast food restaurants in 2003, 2006, and 2013.

Overall, most people ate fast food either once a week or once or twice a month in all three years. In contrast, only a small number of people ate fast food every day or never.

In 2003, about 31% of people ate at fast food restaurants once a week, while around 30% visited once or twice a month. Around 17% ate fast food several times a week, and about 13% went a few times a year. Only about 4% ate fast food every day, while around 5% never ate it.

In 2006, the percentage of people who ate fast food once a week increased slightly to about 33%, making it the most common habit that year. However, the number of people eating once or twice a month fell to around 25%. The figures for several times a week and a few times a year were about 20% and 15%, respectively.

By 2013, the most common frequency changed to once or twice a month, reaching about 33%. The percentage of people eating once a week dropped to around 28%, while those eating several times a week decreased to about 16%. The percentages for every day and never remained very low throughout the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the main trends and supported these with accurate data points from the chart. You successfully identified the shift in the most common frequency from 'once a week' in 2003/2006 to 'once or twice a month' in 2013. The comparisons between years are well-integrated, and the selection of data is relevant and sufficient to illustrate the key features of the graph. No information is missing, and the summary is logically structured.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific time period, which makes the information easy to follow. You have used cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'However', and 'By 2013' effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. The referencing is clear, and the overall structure is coherent. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, overview, and the detailed body paragraphs, ensuring a smooth flow of information throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the data accurately. Phrases like 'increased slightly', 'most common habit', and 'remained very low' are used correctly. While the vocabulary is functional and precise, it is somewhat standard. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increased' or 'decreased' (e.g., 'fluctuated', 'witnessed a decline', 'remained stable') and use more sophisticated collocations to describe the data trends. However, the current range is more than adequate for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response demonstrates a good control of grammatical structures. You have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'In 2003, about 31% of people ate at fast food restaurants once a week, while around 30% visited once or twice a month.' Punctuation is generally accurate, and there are very few grammatical errors. The sentences are clear and easy to read, showing a high level of accuracy throughout the text. The variety of structures is sufficient to convey the information clearly and professionally.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.