Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-16

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 4.0)

The given chart below shows how frequently people in the USA ate fast food between 2003 and 2013.

First I would like to talk about 2003.

The lowest ate fast food everyday only 4 persent and highest once a week 31 present and 17 persent on several time a week and 30 persent once or twice a month and a few times a year only 13 persent and the last never only 5 persent.

Now I would like to talk about 2006.

In 2006 the lowest ate fast food also everyday 3 persent only and the highest 33 to 34 persent once a week and several time a week 20 persent and once or twice a month 25 persent and after few times a year 15 persent and never 4 persent.

Now I would like to talk about 2013.

IN 2013 the lowest ate fast food is 2 or 3 persent also everyday and the highest 33 to 34 persent once or twice a month and several time a week 16 persent and 15 persent a few time a year same like 2006 and 27 to 28 once a week and 4 persent never.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5

The student attempts to report the data for the three years shown in the chart (2003, 2006, and 2013). However, the response lacks an overview, which is an essential requirement for Academic Task 1. Furthermore, the data reporting is excessively repetitive, relying on a listing approach ('First I would like to talk about...', 'Now I would like to talk about...') rather than selecting and comparing main features. There are also inaccuracies in data reporting, such as stating that 'once or twice a month' was the highest in 2013 at 33 to 34 percent, when 'once a week' was also prominent, and misreading specific percentages (e.g., spelling 'percent' incorrectly throughout and confusing figures). Overall, the response addresses the prompt minimally, resulting in a Band 4.5 score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The organisation of the text is overly formulaic and conversational, breaking the response down into separate paragraphs for each year prefixed by spoken-style transitions like 'First I would like to talk about...' and 'Now I would like to talk about...'. There is a lack of sophisticated cohesive devices, and the progression of information feels mechanical and list-like rather than forming a cohesive report. Paragraphing is used to separate the years, but the internal structure of sentences within paragraphs lacks logical flow and proper connective tissue. This represents the characteristics of Band 4.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary used is extremely basic, repetitive, and restricted to simple terms directly lifted or approximated from the chart, such as 'ate fast food', 'everyday', 'highest', and 'never'. The student repeatedly misspells 'percent' as 'persent' and 'present'. There is a complete absence of less common lexical items or paraphrasing. While the meaning is generally communicated despite the frequent spelling and word-choice limitations, the range is restricted to a Band 4 level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The grammatical structures employed are very simple and frequently faulty. The student struggles to construct complete, grammatically correct sentences, often relying on verbless clauses or fragments (e.g., 'The lowest ate fast food everyday only 4 persent and highest once a week 31 present'). There is a lack of complex sentence forms, and punctuation is rudimentary. Errors occur constantly throughout the text, frequently straining the reader's understanding, which places this response firmly at Band 4.

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

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