Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-18
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 chart below illustrates the proportion of people who regularly had meals in fast food restaurants between 2003 and 2013.
Overall, the percentage of individuals who had meals in fast food restaurants on a daily basis had the lowest figures of less than 5% while those while those who had meals in fast food restaurants once a week had a higher percentage of more than 26% throughout the decade.
In 2006, there was a significant rise in the number of the population eating in fast foods restaurants from 3% on daily basis to only peak to 33%.first year(2003)had the lowest percentage with figures fluctuating throughout the years.
Although the year 2013 recorded lowest percentage of 3% people eating in a fast food restaurant everyday, it also represented the highest proportion of individuals eating out once or twice a month with 33% maintaining the same score of those who ate out weekly in 2006.About 5% of individuals reported to have never had meals in a fast food restaurants before.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| 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 daily and weekly trends. However, the analysis is somewhat disjointed and lacks a clear, logical progression. While you identify the highest and lowest points, the description of the data is occasionally confusing, particularly the reference to 2006, which seems to misinterpret the visual data provided. To improve, ensure that you clearly group data points and provide a more accurate summary of the trends over the decade. The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the most significant changes rather than just listing isolated figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the internal structure is weak. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link ideas, making the progression feel mechanical. For example, the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt. Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the sentence 'while those while those who had meals', which contains a repetitive error that disrupts the flow. Using a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'in contrast', 'furthermore') would help to guide the reader through the data more effectively and improve the overall logical flow of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is somewhat repetitive. Phrases like 'had meals in fast food restaurants' are used multiple times, which limits the lexical variety. There are also some awkward collocations and minor errors, such as 'only peak to 33%' and 'reported to have never had meals'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise synonyms for 'eating out' and 'percentage', and ensure that your word choices are natural and contextually appropriate. Expanding your range of descriptive verbs and nouns will make your writing more engaging and precise.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include missing articles ('in a fast food restaurants'), incorrect verb forms ('only peak to'), and punctuation errors, such as the lack of spacing after periods ('33%.first year'). The sentence structure is sometimes fragmented, which affects readability. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent punctuation. Practicing the use of complex sentences with accurate subordinate clauses will help you demonstrate better control over your grammar and move toward a higher band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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