Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 given bar graph illustrates the percentages of people in the USA who eat the fast food in restaurants between 2003 and 2013.

Overall, it is apparent that the USA residents consumed junk food in large proportion in once or twice month. While, only a small proportion ate it every day or never. Over the period, there was a noticeable shift from eating fast food once a week towards eating it once or twice a

month.

In 2003, around 30%vof population ate fast food once a week, making this the most common frequency. This figure increased slightly to approximately 33% in 2006. Similarly, the proportion of people who ate fast food several times a week rose from about 17% to 20%. In contrast, the figures for eating junk food once or twice a month fell slightly, from 30% in 2003 to 25% in 2006.

By 2013, eating fast food once or twice a month had become most popular frequency, at approximately 33%, while the proportion eating fast food once a week declined to around 27%. Meanwhile, about 15% of people ate fast food and few times a year, compared with roughly 12% in 2003. The percentage for those who ate fast food every day or never remained relatively low or similar throughout the period, at around 3-4% .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response effectively addresses the task by identifying the main trends and making relevant comparisons. You have successfully highlighted the shift in consumer behavior over the decade. The overview is clear and captures the most significant changes, such as the transition from weekly to monthly fast-food consumption. Key data points are accurately selected to support the main features. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are clearly linked to the specific years provided in the chart, as some comparisons between 2003 and 2006 could be more explicitly contrasted with the final 2013 data to provide a more comprehensive summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Similarly', and 'Meanwhile' to link your points effectively. However, there are minor issues with punctuation and phrasing, such as the awkward use of 'While,' at the start of a sentence in the second paragraph. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed analysis, which helps the reader navigate the information.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'noticeable shift', 'proportion', and 'frequency'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'ate the fast food' (the article 'the' is unnecessary) and 'ate fast food and few times a year' (which is grammatically awkward). While you successfully convey the meaning, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive. Incorporating more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' or more precise collocations would enhance the sophistication of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as '30%vof' (typo), 'ate the fast food' (unnecessary article), and 'most popular frequency' (missing article 'the'). Additionally, the phrase 'ate fast food and few times a year' contains a confusing conjunction. Despite these errors, they do not impede communication. To improve, focus on proofreading for small articles and prepositions, and aim for more consistent control over complex sentence structures.

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