Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-16
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 graph below illustrates the frequent consumption in fast food restaurants by the citizens of the USA between the years 2003 and 2013.
Overall, the highest proportion of people ate once a week in fast food restaurants, while the lowest proportion was daily customers. Regarding 2003, the highest percentage of customers ate once a week, ranging approximately 31%, followed by customers who ate once or twice a month, ranging exactly 30%. Compared to 2006, when the average number of customers ate several times a week was approximately 20%, followed by customers who ate a few times a year, with exactly 15% of customers. However, in 2013, the lowest number of customers ate every day, with an estimated at 4%, followed by 5% of customers who never ate in fast food restaurants.
In conclusion, the highest number of customers ate once a week. Nevertheless, the lowest number of customers ate every day.
In conclusion,
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 provides an overview of the data, but it fails to adequately report on the main features or make meaningful comparisons across the three years provided. While you mention 2003 and 2013, the data selection is fragmented and lacks a clear analytical structure. For instance, you mention 2006 but do not provide a comprehensive summary of the trends for that year, leaving the reader with a disjointed view of the chart. To improve, ensure you group data logically—perhaps by category or by trend—and highlight the most significant changes or consistencies over the decade rather than listing isolated percentages.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is weak. The use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'followed by' and 'ranging'. The conclusion is redundant, as it merely repeats information already stated in the body paragraphs without synthesising the overall trends. Furthermore, the inclusion of a stray 'In conclusion,' at the end of the text suggests a lack of careful proofreading. To achieve a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words to show relationships between the data points and ensure each paragraph has a clear, distinct purpose.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'highest proportion' and 'lowest number' are used multiple times, which limits the range. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'ranging approximately 31%' and 'an estimated at 4%', which are not standard ways to describe statistical data. To improve, try to incorporate more precise reporting verbs and nouns, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'a marginal increase', and ensure that your phrasing of percentages is grammatically accurate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'the average number of customers ate several times a week was approximately 20%' is syntactically confusing. Additionally, the phrase 'with an estimated at 4%' is grammatically incorrect. While the meaning is generally understandable, the lack of control over sentence structure and prepositional usage prevents a higher score. Focus on ensuring that your sentences have a clear subject and verb and that you use prepositions correctly when describing data points.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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