Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-11
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 graph illustrates data of how frequently individuals in the United States of America ate in fast food restaurants during time period from 2003 to 2013.
Overall, it can be clearly seen that people ate once a week and once or twice a week pick highest among all the categories, while person who ate everyday and who never went for the ate are lowest, additionally person who went for several times a week and a few times a year stays between highest and lowest.
Individuals who ate once a week was had almost similar during time period of 2003 and 2006 in proportion of around 32% and 33% respectively, while person who ate everyday was the below around 4% every time. person who ate a few times a year is always lower than 15% every time whereas individual never visit restaurants are significantly lower in percentages and never cross 5% overall.
People who visit restaurant several times a week during year of 2006 had highest at around 20% which decreased afterword in 2013 at around 16%, On the year of 2003 recorded at around 13% says between both at approximately 17%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the chart, identifying the highest and lowest categories and noting some trends over time. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For example, the description of the data for 'several times a week' is confusingly phrased and lacks precision in comparing the years. While the main features are selected, the reporting of these features lacks the clarity required for a higher band. The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the most significant trends rather than just listing categories. To improve, ensure that data points are accurately linked to the correct years and categories to avoid ambiguity.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. Phrases like 'On the year of 2003 recorded at around 13% says between both' are disjointed and hinder the flow of information. Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as the use of 'the below' or 'the ate'. While there is an overall progression, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the repetitive sentence structure make the text feel somewhat disjointed. Improving the variety of transition signals would significantly enhance the coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward word choices and unidiomatic phrasing, such as 'never went for the ate' and 'pick highest'. The student relies on basic descriptors and struggles with collocations related to data reporting (e.g., 'was had almost similar'). To reach a higher band, the student should focus on using more precise academic vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'accounted for', and ensure that nouns and verbs are used in appropriate contexts.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but grammatical errors are frequent and occasionally impede communication. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'Individuals who ate... was had'), article usage, and prepositional phrases (e.g., 'On the year of 2003'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with run-on sentences and comma splices present. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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