Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-03
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 given bar chart demonstrate the data related to the eating habits of fast food in restaurants between 2003 and 2013.
Overall. there are 3 years given that is 2003,2006 and 2013 with frequent changes .
In 2003 most of the people like to eat in fast food restaurants only once a week that is 32% This percentage is closely followed by the proportion of people who want to eat once or twice a month that is 30%. While the ratio of the people who want to eat fast food is the least ratio of the year that is only 3%. Moreover, the percentage of individuals who never prefer to eat in fast food restaurants is followed by the ratio of everyday people tat is 5%. There are only 17% of people who want to eat several times a week . 13% of persons wants to eat a few times a year.
The people who want to eat everyday in the year 2006 and 2013 is similar that is 3% and is closely related to the proportion of people who never want to eat in fast food restaurants that is 4%. 35% of people want to eat once a week or once or twice a month in the year 2006 and 2013 respectively . Furthermore, the second least percentage of people who want to eat fast food in the year 2006 and 2013 is 15%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the chart, but the analysis is somewhat disorganized and lacks a clear overview of the trends. While you mention the years 2003, 2006, and 2013, the comparison between these years is confusing. For instance, stating that 35% of people want to eat once a week or once/twice a month in 2006 and 2013 is unclear because you have combined two distinct categories. To improve, ensure you clearly distinguish between the categories and provide a more structured comparison of the changes over the decade rather than listing figures in isolation.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the flow of ideas is often disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical (e.g., 'Moreover', 'Furthermore'). There are issues with referencing; for example, in the second paragraph, the phrase 'the ratio of the people who want to eat fast food is the least ratio' is vague because it does not specify which category is being referred to. Additionally, the punctuation is inconsistent, such as the period after 'Overall' and the lack of proper spacing after commas, which hinders the logical progression of your argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely heavily on repetitive phrases like 'people who want to eat' and 'ratio of the people'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'eating habits of fast food in restaurants' (it would be more natural to say 'frequency of fast food consumption'). While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and there is little attempt to use more sophisticated or academic terminology to describe the data trends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Subject-verb agreement is inconsistent, such as 'The given bar chart demonstrate' (should be 'demonstrates') and '13% of persons wants' (should be 'want'). Sentence structure is often simplistic, and there are several punctuation errors, including missing spaces after commas and periods. While you attempt some complex sentences, they are often marred by errors that occasionally make the meaning difficult to follow. Focusing on basic subject-verb agreement and consistent punctuation would significantly improve the clarity of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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