Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · 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 4.0)

This chart shows usa people eat fast food frequency

First of all i will discuss every day percentage people eat fast food 2003 people high quality fast food eat below 5percent high 4 percent

2006 and 2013 equal percentage eat fast food frequency

And now several times a week people eat fast food 2006 highly frequency eat fast food comparison 2003 and 2013 but 2013 people eat fast food less quantity

And once a week same like several times but percentage difference once a week below 2006 35percentage and above the 30percentage

And if over all discuss the chart so i understand point week comparison month so month ratio high eat fast food 2013 and equal 2013 every day and never equal percentage eat fast

2006 high percentage eat fast food once a week and less quantity never and every day lowest quantity because i talking about high and low percentage so than 2003 high quantity eat fast food once a week and lowest every day

I understand this chart people eat fast food mostly past year 2006 and now eat fast food high quantity 2013 once a month

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to provide a clear overview or a logical summary of the data. While it attempts to describe the categories, the information is presented in a fragmented and confusing manner. Key trends are not clearly identified, and the comparisons between years (2003, 2006, 2013) are difficult to follow due to inaccurate reporting of the figures and a lack of structure. The response does not effectively select and report the main features as required by the task instructions, leading to a failure to convey the information in the chart accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The essay lacks paragraphing and logical progression. Ideas are presented as a series of disjointed sentences without the use of appropriate cohesive devices. The transition between different categories (e.g., 'every day', 'several times a week') is abrupt and confusing. There is no clear introduction or conclusion, and the overall structure is chaotic, making it difficult for the reader to follow the writer's train of thought. The lack of linking words and logical sequencing significantly hinders the flow of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive. The writer relies on basic terms like 'eat', 'fast food', 'high', and 'low' throughout the response. There is a lack of precision in describing trends or data points, and the phrasing is often unnatural or grammatically incorrect (e.g., 'high quality fast food eat'). The range of vocabulary is insufficient to convey the information clearly, and there is no attempt to use more sophisticated or academic language appropriate for an IELTS Task 1 report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede communication. There is a lack of control over sentence structure, with many fragments and run-on sentences. Subject-verb agreement, tense usage, and word order are consistently problematic (e.g., 'because i talking about high and low percentage'). Punctuation is largely absent, which further complicates the reading process. The range of structures is very limited, consisting mostly of simple, poorly constructed sentences. The high frequency of errors makes the text difficult to understand.

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.