Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-22
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 demonstrates how consistently people in the USA ate in fast food hotels between 2003 and 2013. Overall, The maximum locals of USA ate fast food restautrants once a week and once or twice in a month.
As it is presented in given bar chart, 5% of people ate fast food every day from 2003 to 2013. During a week, 20% of locals ate fast food several times in 2006. But in 2003 only 15% of people ate fast food and in 2013 at least 17% of people ate fast food. Furthermore, from 2003 to 2013 34% of locals ate fast food. However, 30% of people ate fast food from 2003 to 2013. In contrast, 15% of people ate fast food a few times in a year from 2006 to 2013. But only 10% of people ate fast food few times in a year in 2003. In the last, only 5% of locals does not ate fast food from 2003 to 2013.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to summarise the data, but it fails to accurately report the main features. The description of the data is confusing and contains significant inaccuracies; for example, the claim that '34% of locals ate fast food' from 2003 to 2013 is unclear, as the chart shows specific categories for frequency. The overview is also weak, as it does not clearly highlight the most significant trends or differences between the categories. The data interpretation is inconsistent, making it difficult for the reader to follow the trends presented in the chart.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is often disjointed. While some cohesive devices are used (e.g., 'Furthermore', 'However', 'In contrast'), they are sometimes used incorrectly or do not logically connect the sentences. The referencing is occasionally unclear, and the flow between the data points feels mechanical rather than analytical. The overall structure is present, but the lack of logical grouping of data points hinders the clarity of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic phrasing. There are noticeable errors in word choice, such as 'fast food hotels' instead of 'restaurants' and 'maximum locals' which is an unnatural collocation. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate precision when describing trends or data points. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of variety and the presence of inaccurate terminology restrict the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'only 5% of locals does not ate fast food', which shows issues with subject-verb agreement and tense usage. Sentence structures are mostly simple, and attempts at more complex sentences are often faulty. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the overall control of grammar is inconsistent, which prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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