Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-02

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 chart illustrates the frequency of eating at fast food restaurants among people in the USA between 2003 and 2013.

Overall it is evident that those people who ate junk food once a week accounted for the highest figure, while those who did not eat represented a smaller number, whereas everyday eaters showed a lesser percentage throughout the period.

Regarding the percentage, people who ate once a week registered approximately 30% in 2003, which then slightly rose by nearly 35% in 2006 and dropped to nearly 25% in 2013. Meanwhile, once or twice a month accounted for 30% in 2003, decreased to 25% in 2006, and then again rose to nearly 30% in 2013, whereas individuals who ate several times a week stood at above 15% in 2003 before it increased to 5% more in 2006, and it again dropped to 15% in 2013.

Turning to the other categories, respondents who take few times a year were about 10% in 2003 and grew to 15% in 2006, which then remained stable till 2013. Furthermore, never consuming unhealthy food was just 5% in 2003 and nearly below 5% in both 2006 and 2013. Finally, everyday eaters represented less than 5% in 2003 which then further decreased below 5% in 2006 and 2013.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response effectively covers the main features of the chart. You have identified the key trends and made relevant comparisons between the categories. The overview is clear and highlights the most significant data points. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in data reporting; for example, stating that the 'once a week' category rose 'by nearly 35%' in 2006 is a mathematical error, as it rose to 35%, not by 35%. Additionally, the description of the 'several times a week' category is slightly confusing. Despite these minor issues, the overall task is well-addressed with a clear summary of the trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group the data effectively. Cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile', 'Regarding', and 'Turning to' are used to guide the reader through the information. Paragraphing is appropriate, and there is a clear progression of ideas throughout the text. The use of referencing is generally successful, although some transitions could be smoother to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'accounted for', 'registered', and 'remained stable'. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, though some word choices are slightly imprecise, such as 'junk food' (which is informal and not explicitly mentioned in the prompt) and 'take few times a year' (which should be 'eat a few times a year'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'those people who ate junk food once a week accounted for the highest figure' (slightly wordy) and 'nearly below 5%' (which is contradictory). There are also minor issues with preposition usage and phrasing, such as 'rose by nearly 35%' instead of 'rose to'. However, these errors do not impede communication, and the meaning remains clear throughout the report.

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.