Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-08

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 7.5)

The given bar chart illustrates the information about the frequency of eating at fast food restaurants among people in the USA in one decade.

Overall, in all three years, a significantly higher proportion of the US population ate in fast-food restaurants either once a week or once or twice a month. In comparison, only a minor proportion ate there daily or never ate there.

A 31% to 33 % of people in USA ate food once a week in both 2003 and 2006.although this proportion showed a moderate decline to around 27% in 2013. Those eating there once or twice a month also represented a significant proportion of the US population in these three years. This proportion first dropped from 2003’s 30% to 2006’s 25%, and then jumped to around 33% in 2013.

The proportion of those eating in fast-food restaurants several times a week varied between 15% and 20%, while the proportion eating there a few times a year showed an increase from approximately 13% to 15% over the period. By contrast, in none of the three years were more than 5% of people in either the “every day” or the “never” category.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively addresses the task by identifying the main trends and making relevant comparisons. You have successfully highlighted the most significant data points, such as the dominance of the 'once a week' and 'once or twice a month' categories, and contrasted these with the minor 'every day' and 'never' groups. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the overall patterns. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are described with complete accuracy; for instance, the description of the 'once a week' category as 31% to 33% in 2003 and 2006 is slightly imprecise given the chart's specific values. Overall, the response is well-focused and covers the requirements of the prompt effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group information thematically. Cohesive devices such as 'In comparison', 'although', 'first', 'then', and 'by contrast' are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different categories of frequency. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the relationship between the different data points is clearly established. The use of referencing is generally accurate, ensuring that the reader can easily follow the comparison of trends over the decade.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision. Phrases like 'significantly higher proportion', 'moderate decline', and 'varied between' are used appropriately. There are some minor issues with word choice and phrasing, such as 'A 31% to 33 % of people', where the article 'A' is unnecessary. However, the vocabulary is generally natural and fits the academic context of the task. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'proportion' or 'category' to avoid repetition and enhance the sophistication of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You have used subordinate clauses effectively, such as 'although this proportion showed a moderate decline'. While there are occasional errors, such as the capitalization error in 'although' following a period and the unnecessary article 'A' before a percentage, these do not impede communication. The control over punctuation and tense is generally strong, with the past tense used consistently to describe the data from the 2003–2013 period. The majority of your sentences are error-free, which is a positive indicator of your grammatical control.

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