Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-04

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 6.0)

The illustration gives information about the percentage of people who eat junk food from 2003 to 2013. Overall, the percentage of people who ate fast food daily decreased over time, while the percentage who ate once or twice a month increased by the end.

It is quite evident from the chart that there were several types of people like daily, once a week, twice a month and those who never eat fast food. In 2003, four percent of people ate every day that was the lowest percentage, the highest percentage of people how ate just once a week and the second largest percentage was those who ate twice a month, at around 30 percent. The percentage of people in 2006, who ate several times a week and once a week increased.

Furthermore, in 2013, the percentage of people who ate once or twice a month increased, but the percentages for people who never ate junk food, a few times a year and people who ate daily were the same as in 2006.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response provides a general overview and identifies some key features, but it fails to fully address the task requirements. The data description is fragmented and lacks precision. For instance, you mention 'several types of people' without clearly defining the categories provided in the chart. Furthermore, the analysis of the data is inconsistent; you mention 2003 and 2013 but struggle to provide a clear, comparative summary of the trends across the entire period. Some data points are mentioned without clear context, and the report lacks a cohesive synthesis of the main features, which is essential for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the logical progression of ideas is weak. The transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt, and the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical. For example, the use of 'Furthermore' to introduce the final paragraph does not effectively link the preceding information. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison of trends over the decade. More varied linking words and better signposting are needed to improve the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. You rely on basic descriptors like 'highest percentage' and 'lowest percentage' repeatedly. There is also an issue with word choice; for example, referring to the data as 'junk food' is slightly informal for an Academic Task 1 report, where 'fast food' is the term provided in the prompt. To improve, try to incorporate more precise reporting verbs and nouns related to trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'a significant proportion'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'the highest percentage of people how ate just once a week' contains a relative pronoun error ('how' instead of 'who'). There are also issues with article usage and sentence construction, such as 'that was the lowest percentage', which creates a run-on effect. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of relative clauses.

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.