Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-21

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 6.5)

The bar chart shows how often people in the USA ate at fast food restaurants in 2003, 2006 and 2013.

Overall, the most common answers were "once a week" and "once or twice a month". Very few people ate fast food "every day". Also, eating fast food often became a little less popular over time, while not eating it at all became a little more popular.

Looking at the details, in 2003 about 31% of people ate fast food "once a week". This was the highest number. Around 30% ate it "once or twice a month". About 17% went "several times a week", 13% "never", and only 4% "every day".

By 2013, the "once a week" group dropped to 28%. The "once or twice a month" group rose to become the highest at 33%. The "several times a week" group also dropped to 16%. In contrast, the "never" group went up to 15%. The "every day" group stayed low at around 3%.

In conclusion, most Americans ate fast food regularly, but the frequency went down slightly between 2003 and 2013.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the main trends and supported these with relevant data points from the chart. The selection of key features, such as the shift in the most popular frequency category from 'once a week' to 'once or twice a month', is accurate. The comparison between the start and end years is well-handled. To reach a higher band, you could aim to integrate the data more fluidly into your sentences rather than listing percentages in separate, short sentences, which would allow for a more sophisticated analysis of the trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, body paragraphs, and a brief conclusion. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the general trends from the specific data points. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Looking at the details', 'By 2013', and 'In contrast' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the information. The progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow. To improve, you could use a wider variety of cohesive devices to link sentences within paragraphs, as some transitions feel slightly repetitive.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the data, including terms like 'dropped', 'rose', 'highest', and 'remained low'. The language is accurate and appropriate for an academic report. However, the vocabulary is somewhat functional and lacks the 'less common' lexical items that would demonstrate a higher level of precision. For example, instead of repeating 'group' or 'number', you could use synonyms like 'category', 'proportion', or 'segment' to enhance the sophistication of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writing demonstrates good control over simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and punctuation is used correctly throughout. You have successfully used a mix of structures, such as 'While not eating it at all became a little more popular' and 'In contrast, the 'never' group went up to 15%'. While the grammar is accurate, the range of complex structures is somewhat limited. Incorporating more varied subordinate clauses or passive voice constructions would help demonstrate a wider grammatical range.

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

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