Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-19

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)

In the given bar graph, the activity of people eating fast food is analyzed through the three years (2003,2006,2013) interestingly.

In the year 2003, people eat the fast food was around 5% whereas the people who eat several times a week are higher 4 times (16%). The proportion of people who eat once week and once or twice a month was almost equal but there is difference of 8% can be witnessed in eaters who ate oily food few times a year and never the value for former is 13% and for later is 5%.

In the year 2006 and 2013, every day fast food lover’s value is same which is 3% whereas several times a week fast food eater’s percentage is 20% which decreased to 16% in last year. Moreover, The individual who eat once week in the year 2006 and 2013 were 34% and 24% respectively.once or twice a month people who ate junk food follow increasing trend in both year the value around 25% to 34%. Interestingly, few times eaters percentage was same throughout year that is 15% and masses who never eat show negligible trend.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the chart, including the trends across the three years. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, focusing on listing figures rather than synthesizing the data to highlight significant comparisons or trends. For instance, the overview is missing; a strong response should include a summary statement highlighting the most notable trend, such as the shift in popularity from 'once a week' to 'once or twice a month'. While the data is generally accurate, the lack of a clear overview and the tendency to simply list percentages limits the score to a 5.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of information. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and occasionally awkward, such as 'the value for former is 13% and for later is 5%'. The transition between the years is clear, but the internal flow within paragraphs is sometimes disjointed. The referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult to track which category is being discussed without re-reading. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring clearer pronoun references would enhance the coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There is a reliance on basic descriptors like 'value', 'trend', and 'percentage'. Some word choices are unnatural or inaccurate, such as 'fast food lover’s value' and 'masses who never eat'. The phrase 'negligible trend' is also used incorrectly to describe a low percentage. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'proportion', 'fluctuation', 'peak', or 'remained stable'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('people eat the fast food was'), missing articles ('in the year 2006 and 2013'), and awkward phrasing ('the activity of people eating fast food is analyzed... interestingly'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence construction and proofreading for basic errors would be beneficial.

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