Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-20
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 illustrates how often the individuals living in USA are in fast food restaurants between the year 2003 to 2013. Units are measured in percentage.
Overall, people who ate everyday and recorded an upward trend and significant decline at the end year and recorded an increase in the number of people who didn't eat at all. People who ate several times a week rose gradually untill once or twice a month and declined dramatically, while the number of people who didn't eat in restaurants were almost the same as the ones who ate everyday.
Initially, in the year 2003 the amount of people who ate everyday rose rapidly surpassing 30% for people who ate once a weak, it experienced a downward trend untill it got to the number of people who had never eaten in a restaurant and noted an increase of about 5%.
Additionally, people who ate everyday between the year 2006 to 2013 remained constant, while they experienced a rapid increase and decline respectively on other aspects they were at the same level for the individuals who are a few times a year and those who had never ate.
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 attempts to summarize the data but struggles with clarity and accuracy. While you identify some trends, the descriptions are often vague or confusing, such as 'recorded an upward trend and significant decline at the end year'. The data interpretation is inconsistent; for example, the claim that the number of people who ate everyday remained constant between 2006 and 2013 is not supported by the chart, which shows clear fluctuations. Furthermore, the categories are not clearly distinguished, making it difficult for the reader to follow the specific trends for each frequency group. To improve, focus on selecting the most significant data points and describing them with precise terminology.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as the transition 'Additionally' which does not effectively link the ideas. Some sentences are disjointed, and the referencing is unclear; for instance, the phrase 'on other aspects they were at the same level' is ambiguous and does not clearly refer back to the data categories. The overall structure lacks a cohesive flow, making it difficult to track the comparison of trends over the ten-year period. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring clear pronoun references would enhance the readability.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. You rely on basic descriptors like 'rose', 'decline', and 'increase' throughout the text. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'the amount of people' (should be 'number of people') and 'once a weak' (spelling error: 'week'). The phrasing 'the ones who ate everyday' is informal for an academic report. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate a wider range of precise vocabulary related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'a marginal increase'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are issues with subject-verb agreement, such as 'individuals... are in fast food restaurants' (should be 'eat in'). Sentence structures are often awkward or run-on, such as 'People who ate several times a week rose gradually untill once or twice a month and declined dramatically'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, and there are spelling errors like 'untill'. While there is an attempt at complex structures, they are often faulty, leading to a lack of clarity. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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