Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The given vertical bar graph illustrates the information about how often American people eat fast food during 2003, 2006 and 2013. The data has been given in percentage.

Overall, people in USA ate more frequently in restaurants during 2006 and 2013 as compared to 2003 among all 6 different categories. Numbers were highest for once a week and once or twice a month, while lowest for never and everyday.

To begin with, frequency of buying fast food was least in everyday and never during all years which was under 5% only, but portions were highest around 33 percent for once a week and once or twice a month in 2006 and 2013, almost 30% in 2003 for both, 27% in 2013 and exact 25% in 2006.

In addition, approximately 15- 20% Americans purchased takeaway food several times a week in [redacted phone], whereas numbers were exact 15% for 2006 and 2013 for few times a year purchases and only 12% in 2003.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the data and provides a clear overview. You successfully identified the trends for the most and least frequent categories. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical. For instance, when discussing the 'once a week' and 'once or twice a month' categories, the data presentation is slightly confusing, particularly the mention of '27% in 2013 and exact 25% in 2006' without clearly linking these to the specific categories. To reach a higher band, ensure that comparisons are more precise and that the data points are clearly attributed to their respective categories to avoid ambiguity for the reader.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The use of cohesive devices such as 'To begin with' and 'In addition' helps to guide the reader through the information. However, the progression of ideas within the body paragraphs is occasionally disjointed. For example, the transition between the 'everyday' category and the 'once a week' category is abrupt. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that referencing (e.g., 'which was under 5%') clearly points back to the intended subject would enhance the overall coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, including terms like 'illustrates', 'frequency', and 'categories'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'portions were highest' is not the most appropriate way to describe statistical data; 'proportions' or 'figures' would be more accurate. Additionally, phrases like 'exact 25%' are slightly unnatural in this context. To improve, try to incorporate more precise reporting verbs and nouns related to data analysis, such as 'fluctuated', 'accounted for', or 'a significant proportion'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist. For example, 'The data has been given in percentage' should be 'The data is given in percentages'. There are also issues with article usage, such as 'in USA' instead of 'in the USA', and some awkward phrasing like 'during all years which was under 5% only'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more consistent control over basic grammatical rules and sentence construction to reach a higher band.

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

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