Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-15

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 5.5)

The presented column chart indicates how frequently people in the USA ate in fast food restaurants varied from year 2003 to 2013. The data is calibrated in percentage.

Looking first at the more frequent patterns, around 4% of people ate fast food every day in 2003, and this figure fell slightly to about 3% in both 2006 and 2013. The proportion eating fast food several times a week increased from approximately 17% in 2003 to 20% in 2006, before falling to around 16% in 2013. Meanwhile, people who ate fast food once a week accounted for about 31% in 2003, rising to 33% in 2006 and then decreasing to approximately 28% in 2013.

Looking first at the more frequent patterns, around 4% of people ate fast food every day in 2003, and this figure fell slightly to about 3% in both 2006 and 2013. The proportion eating fast food several times a week increased from approximately 17% in 2003 to 20% in 2006, before falling to around 16% in 2013. Meanwhile, people who ate fast food once a week accounted for about 31% in 2003, rising to 33% in 2006 and then decreasing to approximately 28% in 2013.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the chart showing the frequency of eating fast food in the USA between 2003 and 2013. The overview of data points is accurate, citing specific figures such as 4% for daily consumption in 2003 and 31% for once-a-week consumers. Relevant comparisons are made across the given years (2003, 2006, and 2013). However, a significant flaw in the delivery is that the entire second paragraph is completely duplicated word-for-word in the third paragraph. Despite this repetitive structural error, the core data reported is accurate and addresses the prompt well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The text demonstrates a clear logical organization initially, using sequencing phrases such as 'Looking first at the more frequent patterns' and 'Meanwhile'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the severe duplication of the entire second paragraph in the third paragraph heavily disrupts the overall flow and creates unnecessary repetition. Cohesive devices within the sentences are used reasonably well, but the gross macro-level structural error severely impacts the logical progression of the response, preventing it from achieving a higher band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'proportion', 'accounted for', 'decreased', and 'calibrated'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary with general accuracy. Word choices are mostly appropriate for an academic task 1 response, though the language remains somewhat standard and lacks the finer precision and flexibility seen at higher bands. Spelling and word formation are accurate throughout the provided text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The presented column chart indicates how frequently people in the USA ate in fast food restaurants varied from year 2003 to 2013' (which contains a minor omission of 'that') and 'The proportion eating fast food several times a week increased... before falling to...'. There are some minor grammatical inaccuracies, but the majority of sentences are grammatically sound, and punctuation is handled correctly. Errors do not impede communication.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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