Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-02

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 given graph illustrates the frequency of eating at fast food restaurants among people in the USA from the years 2003 to 2013.the graph demonstrates the percentage of people from every day to never who eat frequently fast food.

The blue colour in the graph indicates 2003 and grey color indicates 2006 and vertical lines in the box shows 2013. According to the given graph,the given years illustrate a highest percentage of eating fast food in 2013 of about 34% once or twice in a month and with a slightly difference of 1% in 2006 there was the highest ratio of having once in a week. While all these countries have minor differences in ratio between 15% and slightly higher to 20% in several times a week and a few times a year. While almost 4% of these people eat everyday and never eat fast food. The whole graph shares the details of eating fast food among the people in the USA.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response attempts to summarise the data, but it fails to provide a clear overview or highlight the most significant trends effectively. The description of the data is somewhat confusing, particularly when discussing the percentages. For instance, the statement 'almost 4% of these people eat everyday and never eat fast food' is inaccurate based on the chart, which shows distinct categories. The report lacks a clear selection of key features; instead, it lists figures in a way that makes it difficult for the reader to grasp the overall patterns. To improve, you should group data logically and ensure that the most striking differences or similarities are clearly identified in an overview paragraph.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is divided into two paragraphs, but the internal structure is weak. The introduction is repetitive, and the second paragraph lacks a logical flow. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'According to the given graph' and 'While', but they are often used incorrectly or in a way that creates confusion rather than linking ideas smoothly. For example, starting two consecutive sentences with 'While' is repetitive and does not effectively contrast the information. The progression of ideas is disjointed, making it difficult to follow the comparison of the years 2003, 2006, and 2013.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is limited and sometimes inaccurate. Phrases like 'highest ratio of having once in a week' and 'slightly difference of 1%' are awkward and demonstrate a lack of precision. The student relies on basic descriptors and struggles with collocations related to data interpretation. There are also errors in word choice, such as 'countries' when referring to the USA, which is a single country. To reach a higher band, you need to use more precise terminology for describing trends, such as 'a marginal increase', 'a significant proportion', or 'fluctuated'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with article usage ('the blue colour', 'the grey color'), subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure. For example, 'the given years illustrate a highest percentage' is grammatically incorrect. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after commas and periods. While there is an attempt at complex sentences, they are often poorly constructed, leading to confusion. A greater focus on basic sentence accuracy and correct punctuation is required before attempting more complex structures.

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