Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-24

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 5.5)

The bar chart illustrates the comparision of frequency of eating at fast food restaurants and percentage of people in the USA over three years 2003,2006 and 2013.

Overall, it is evident that mostly people visit the restaurants once a week while reversed is observed for the never and every day visitor group of people.

In 2003, the most people went to the restaurats wether once a week or once or twice a month with the percentage of 31% and 30% respectively. Meanwhile percentage drops to 16% for several times a week and almost13% for a few times a year. Those who never visited recorded around 5% as compared to every day visitor of about 4%.

In 2006, the mos people visted the restaurants contituted 34% for once a week, which droped to 25% for once or twice a month and further dropped to 3% for everyday visitors.

In 2016, t

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response is incomplete as it cuts off mid-sentence in the third paragraph, failing to cover the data for 2013 or provide a full summary. While the introduction and the first two body paragraphs identify some main features and trends, the lack of a conclusion and the unfinished nature of the report significantly hinder the task completion. The data selection is relevant, but the failure to finish the response prevents a higher score. To improve, ensure you allocate enough time to complete the analysis of all data points provided in the chart and include a clear summary of the overall trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response uses basic cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In 2003', and 'Meanwhile', which help to structure the information. However, the progression is interrupted by the abrupt ending of the text. Paragraphing is attempted, but the final paragraph is incomplete, which disrupts the logical flow of the report. To improve, focus on ensuring that each paragraph is fully developed and that the transition between years is smooth. Using a wider variety of linking words, such as 'consequently', 'in contrast', or 'subsequently', would also help to improve the overall cohesion of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'percentage', and 'frequency'. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'comparision', 'restaurats', 'wether', and 'visted', which detract from the quality of the writing. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise terminology to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a significant decline', and ensure that your spelling is accurate throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'mostly people visit' (most people), 'reversed is observed' (the reverse is observed), and 'every day visitor' (everyday visitors). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing after commas (e.g., '2003,2006'). While the meaning is generally clear, these errors are frequent and occasionally impede the flow of reading. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that you proofread your work to correct basic punctuation and spelling errors before submitting.

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

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