Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-07-30

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 7.5)

The bar graphs compare how often people consumed fast food in restaurants in the USA from 2003 to 2013.

Overall, most people in the years 2003,2006 and 2013 ate in restaurants either once a week or once or twice a month. A very small proportion of people never ate fast food or ate every day.

Less than 5% of people ate fast food regularly in all 3 years. This trend is also similar for those who almost never ate unhealthy fast food making up 5% of people in 2003, and 3% in 2006 and 2013. In all 3 years, most people ate out in restaurants either at least once a week or once or twice a month. In 2006,majority of people in the USA consumed fast food once a week making up 33% of all people. 25% of people ate once or twice a month in restaurants in 2006. This was followed closely by individuals who ate out several times a week and those eating fast food a few times a year, with percentages of 20% and 15% respectively.

In 2003, eating at fast food chains once a week or at least once a month was the most popular. 31% of people consumed fast food once a week followed closely by 30% people eating unhealthy restaurant food once or twice a month. Only 17% citizens had restaurant food several times a week; similarly 13% practising this a few times a year. In 2013, an overwhelming majority of 33% people ate restaurant food once or twice a month. 23% consumed restaurant junk food weekly, followed by 16% people eating out multiple times a week. 15% of individuals in the USA ate junk food a few times a year in 2013.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response covers all parts of the task well. You have successfully identified the main features and provided relevant comparisons across the three years. The overview is clear and highlights the most significant trends, such as the popularity of eating out once a week or once/twice a month. You have supported your points with accurate data from the chart. To reach a higher band, ensure that the distinction between categories is always precise; for instance, you occasionally refer to 'unhealthy fast food' or 'junk food', which are not labels provided in the prompt. Stick strictly to the terminology used in the graph to maintain objectivity.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group information by year. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use some cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In all 3 years' and 'This was followed closely by'. However, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother, and some sentences feel slightly repetitive in structure. Improving the variety of linking phrases would help the flow feel more natural and sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information clearly. You use terms like 'proportion', 'overwhelming majority', and 'consumed' appropriately. There are some minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'practising this' to describe eating habits, which is slightly unnatural. Additionally, avoid adding subjective descriptors like 'unhealthy' or 'junk' when describing the food, as these are not in the source material. Focusing on more precise academic collocations will help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are occasional grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('in 2006, majority of people') and minor punctuation issues (e.g., '2003,2006'). The sentence structures are generally accurate, but there is a lack of more sophisticated complex structures that would demonstrate higher control. Most sentences are error-free, but the occasional slips in articles and prepositions prevent a higher score.

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