Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-13
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 5.0)
The bar chart compares the frequency with which people in the USA ate at fast food hotel in 2003 to 2023.
overall, eating fast food on a weekly basis became less common over the period, while eating it monthly or only a few times a year became more common. In 2003 and 2006, eating once a week was the most popular choice, but by 2013 eating once or twice a month was most common. The proportions who ate every day or never remained very small throughout.
In 2003, the use of fast food in every day is very low, but several times a week its become medium increase and once a week its become more high uses. Otherhand in 2006, the most high uses of the fast food in one a week. Lastly in 2013, the high use of fast food in once or twice a month and the lowest use of fast food in 2013 in every day. In addition, in every year highest ratio almost in once a week and the lowest ratio in the everyday.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the chart, such as the overall trend of decreasing weekly fast-food consumption and the rise in monthly consumption. However, the analysis is hampered by significant inaccuracies in reporting the data. For instance, the student mentions '2023' instead of '2013' in the introduction, and the description of the data in the final paragraph is confusing and lacks precision. While the main trends are identified, the lack of clear, accurate data points and the repetitive nature of the reporting prevent a higher score. The response addresses the task but fails to provide a clear, well-supported overview of the specific figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive feature. However, the progression of ideas is often unclear due to awkward phrasing and a lack of effective cohesive devices. Transitions like 'Otherhand' and 'In addition' are used, but they do not always logically connect the sentences. The referencing is sometimes confusing, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between years. While there is an attempt at paragraphing, the internal structure of the paragraphs is weak, and the flow of information is frequently interrupted by grammatical errors and unclear references.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. Phrases such as 'most high uses' and 'lowest use of fast food' are grammatically incorrect and lack the precision required for an Academic Task 1 report. The student struggles with basic collocations, such as using 'fast food hotel' instead of 'fast food restaurant' or 'fast food outlet'. There is little evidence of a range of vocabulary; instead, the same words are recycled throughout the text. To improve, the student needs to focus on using more precise terminology for describing trends and data, such as 'proportion', 'fluctuation', or 'significant decline'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that often impede communication. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('its become'), incorrect preposition usage ('in every day'), and awkward sentence structures ('the use of fast food in every day is very low'). The range of structures is very limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences that are often poorly constructed. Punctuation is also inconsistent. While the meaning can generally be inferred, the high frequency of errors throughout the text makes it difficult to read and demonstrates a lack of control over basic grammatical rules.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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