Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The bar graph illustrates the information about how regularly USA citizens

ate at junk food restaurants from 2003 to 2013.

At a fleeting glance, there were noticeable differences in the figures among the days. In 2003, around four percent of people ate at fast food every day, while approximately 17 percent did so several times a week. The figures for those who ate junk food once a week and once or twice a month were about 31 percent and 30 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, roughly 13 percent ate it a few times a year, and only five percent never ate unhealthy food.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement. Because the response is only 101 words, it is severely under-developed. Furthermore, the task requires a summary of the information between 2003 and 2013; however, the student only describes the data for 2003. By omitting the 2013 data and the necessary comparison between the two years, the response fails to address the core requirements of the prompt. To improve, you must ensure all parts of the chart are covered and provide a comprehensive overview of the trends over the entire period.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is too short to demonstrate a full range of cohesive devices or effective paragraphing. While the sentences are logically sequenced, the lack of a concluding summary or a clear comparison between the two time periods makes the overall structure feel incomplete. The use of cohesive devices like 'Meanwhile' and 'respectively' is appropriate, but the overall progression is halted by the premature ending of the essay. To achieve a higher score, ensure you structure your response with a clear introduction, an overview of the main trends, and distinct body paragraphs that compare the data points effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally accurate and appropriate for the task, such as 'noticeable differences' and 'approximately'. However, the range is limited due to the brevity of the text. The term 'junk food' is used as a synonym for 'fast food', which is acceptable, though 'fast food' is the terminology used in the prompt and should be prioritized. There is little evidence of less common or sophisticated vocabulary. To improve, try to incorporate more varied reporting verbs and precise descriptors for data trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a significant decline'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The grammar is generally clear, and the sentences are mostly error-free. The student uses a mix of simple and complex structures, such as the subordinate clause in 'while approximately 17 percent did so several times a week'. However, the limited length of the response restricts the ability to demonstrate a wide range of grammatical structures. There are no major errors that impede communication, but the lack of variety in sentence construction prevents a higher score. To improve, practice using a wider variety of complex sentence forms, such as passive voice or conditional structures, to describe the data trends.

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

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