Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 bar chart illustrates the frequency of the USA citizens consuming fast food at restaurant in the time span of 2003 to 2013. At a glance, highest proportion of population ate fast food only once a week in the year of 2003 and 2006.

To begin with, proportion of people consuming fast food every day and never is quite equivalent approximately under 5%. While proportion of people having fast multiple days a week accounted under 20%. In contrast, population consuming only few times a year is under 15% in the span of a decade. Moreover, citizens consuming fast food once a week and once or twice a month is highest accounted under 33% in the span of decade.

Overall, in the year 2006 major proportion use to ate fast food once a week. In contrast, highest population consuming fast food only once or twice a month is in the year of 2013.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the chart, but the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identify the highest and lowest categories, the description lacks precision in comparing the trends over the decade. For instance, stating that categories are 'quite equivalent' or 'under 33%' is vague and does not fully utilize the data provided. To improve, ensure you clearly contrast the changes between 2003 and 2013 rather than just listing general observations. The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the most significant shifts in fast food consumption habits over the ten-year period.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'To begin with', 'In contrast', 'Moreover'). Some transitions feel forced, and the logical progression between sentences could be smoother. For example, the jump between discussing daily consumption and yearly consumption lacks a clear thematic link. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear focus would enhance the overall flow and coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. You rely on repetitive phrasing such as 'proportion of people' and 'consuming fast food'. There are also some awkward collocations and minor errors, such as 'major proportion use to ate' instead of 'the majority used to eat'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use a wider range of synonyms and more precise academic vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'a significant decline'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. You have several grammatical errors, such as 'USA citizens consuming fast food at restaurant' (missing articles and pluralization) and 'highest proportion of population' (missing 'the'). Additionally, the phrase 'major proportion use to ate' contains a tense error. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to affect the clarity of your report. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will significantly improve your score.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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