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 chart shows how frequently people ate at fast food restaurants from 2003 to 2013. It discuses about the frequency or how many times people visited those restaurants and if we look closely at the chart, the percentage is concerning and indicates a high frequency in rate, especially the fast food consumption among people. If look carefully, we can notice that in 2003, less than 5% of people had fast food every day whereas more than 15% people ate fast food at lease several times a week. The percentage of People eating fast food once a week and once or twice a month doesn't differ much. But the percentage of people eating fast food a few times a year and never is significantly low compared to other sections mentioned in the chart. We can see in 2013 almost majority of the sections are less in number whereas the percentage of people eating fast food once or twice a month and a few times a year is higher than 2003.
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 fails to adequately report the main features. While you mention some percentages, the analysis is superficial and lacks a clear, structured comparison between the two years. You mention that 'the percentage of people eating fast food once or twice a month and a few times a year is higher than 2003', but you do not provide specific data points to support this. Furthermore, the inclusion of personal commentary, such as 'the percentage is concerning', is inappropriate for an Academic Task 1 report, which requires an objective tone. To improve, focus on grouping data logically and ensuring all key trends are supported by accurate figures from the chart.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is written as a single paragraph, which hinders the logical flow of information. A successful Task 1 response should be structured with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group related data. While there are some cohesive devices used, such as 'whereas' and 'but', the overall progression is disjointed. The transition between describing 2003 and 2013 is abrupt, and the lack of paragraphing makes it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison. Using clear paragraph breaks and a wider variety of linking words would significantly improve the clarity and structure of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. You rely on repetitive phrasing, such as 'percentage of people eating fast food', and some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'high frequency in rate'. There is an attempt to use descriptive language, but it is not always accurate or formal. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more varied vocabulary related to trends and data, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a decline', and avoid informal commentary.
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. For example, 'It discuses about' is incorrect (it should be 'discusses'), and 'at lease' is a spelling error for 'at least'. Additionally, there are issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'almost majority of the sections'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors suggests a need for more careful proofreading and a stronger grasp of basic sentence construction and punctuation.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.