Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
The bar chart compares how people frequently visit fast food restaurants in the US between 2003 and 2013.
Overall, it is clear that people visited fast food restaurants once a week and once or twice a month
the highest number from 2003 to 2013, whereas the lowest number visited fast food restaurants in every day From 2003 to 2013.
Looking first at, 35% people visited fast food restaurants once a week and once or twice a month from 2003 to 2013. By comparison highest percentage more than 30% people visited fast food restaurants at once a week and once or twice a month, whereas several times a week and A few times a year it remains lower than once a week and twice a month throughout the period
Turning to the remaining categories, the lowest percentage less than 5% people visited fast food restaurants at evry day, while 5% remains higher than every day through out the periods.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to summarize the data but fails to provide a clear or accurate overview. The description of the trends is confusing, particularly the claim that '35% people visited fast food restaurants once a week and once or twice a month' as a combined figure, which misrepresents the data. The report lacks precision in identifying the key features, such as the stability of the 'once a week' category versus the decline in 'once or twice a month'. The information is presented in a repetitive and somewhat disjointed manner, making it difficult to follow the actual trends shown in the chart. More careful selection of data points is required to meet the requirements of a clear overview.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay lacks a clear logical progression. While there is an attempt at paragraphing, the internal structure of the sentences is often confusing. Cohesive devices are used mechanically or incorrectly, such as the repetitive use of 'from 2003 to 2013' and 'whereas'. The referencing is unclear, and the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt. The lack of clear signposting makes it difficult for the reader to distinguish between the different categories of frequency. To improve, focus on using a wider range of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'visited fast food restaurants' are used repeatedly throughout the text, which indicates a lack of lexical variety. There are also errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'how people frequently visit' instead of 'the frequency of visits' and 'at evry day' (spelling error). The student relies on basic vocabulary to describe the data, which prevents the response from achieving a higher band. To improve, try to incorporate synonyms and more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'accounted for'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with sentence structure, such as 'the highest number from 2003 to 2013, whereas the lowest number visited fast food restaurants in every day', which is a fragmented and ungrammatical construction. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing commas and incorrect capitalization (e.g., 'From 2003'). The range of structures is very limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences with errors in subject-verb agreement and preposition usage. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like missing articles and incorrect verb forms.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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