Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

The bar chart illustrates how frequently people in the USA ate at fast-food restaurants during the period from 2003 to 2013.

Overall, it can be clearly seen that eating at fast-food restaurants once a week and once or twice a month were the most common frequencies, whereas eating there every day and never eating there were the least common. The other two categories, namely several times a week and a few times a year, accounted for moderate proportions of people.

The percentage of people who ate fast food once a week was approximately 31% in 2003 and increased slightly to 33% in 2006, before falling to around 28% in 2013. In comparison, the proportion of those who ate fast food once or twice a month was about 30% in 2003. This figure decreased to 25% in 2006, but then rose significantly to approximately 33% in 2013, making it the highest figure among all categories in that year.

The percentage of people who ate fast food several times a week stood at around 17% in 2003. It then increased to 20% in 2006 before declining to approximately 16% in 2013. Meanwhile, those who ate at fast-food restaurants a few times a year accounted for about 13% in 2003 and rose to 15% in both 2006 and 2013. Finally, only a small proportion of people ate fast food every day or never ate it. The figures for these groups declined from approximately 4% and 5% in 2003 to around 2–3% and 3%, respectively, in 2013.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the main trends and successfully selected and reported key data points to support your summary. The comparison between categories is well-handled, and the data is accurately represented. You have identified the most significant features, such as the shift in the 'once or twice a month' category becoming the most popular by 2013. The information is well-organized, and the response fully meets the requirements of an Academic Task 1 report by providing a concise and accurate summary of the provided chart.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, a concise overview, and two body paragraphs that group the data effectively. Cohesive devices such as 'In comparison,' 'Meanwhile,' and 'Finally' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the data. The progression of ideas is smooth, and each paragraph has a clear central topic. The use of referencing is accurate, and the paragraphing is logical, contributing to a coherent and easy-to-follow report. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for describing statistical data. Phrases such as 'accounted for moderate proportions,' 'increased slightly,' and 'rose significantly' are used effectively. The vocabulary is precise and contributes to the clarity of the report. While the range is sufficient and accurate, it could be further enhanced by incorporating more sophisticated synonyms or varied collocations to describe trends, which would push the score into the higher band. Overall, the lexical control is strong, and there are no errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response displays a high level of grammatical accuracy. You have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the use of subordinate clauses in 'The percentage of people who ate fast food once a week was approximately 31% in 2003 and increased slightly to 33% in 2006, before falling to around 28% in 2013.' Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no significant grammatical errors. The control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent, and the majority of your sentences are error-free.

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