Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-18

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 4.5)

The chart below demonstrate how frequently people ate fast food in USA at restaurants from 2003 to 2013.Overall, once a week and once or twice a month are the highest, however every day and never are the lowest.

Highest sections of chart, Once a week 2006 dominant at about 33%,second highest is 2003 at 31% and compare two these lowest is the aprox 27% this once a week chart is the highest eating fast at resturant comapred to others.Once or twice a month 2013 it was the largest eating fast food approximately 33% ,2003 is slightly higher then 2006 around 30% and 25%.Several times a week 2006 about 20%, 2003 much lower then 2006 around 17% and 16% is the lowest in 2013.

Lowest sections are, A few times a year 2006 and 2013 are same about 15% and 2003 is the lowest around 13%. Never

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The student attempts to address the prompt by reporting key data points from the chart, such as 'once a week' and 'once or twice a month' percentages across the given years. An overview is attempted in the first paragraph, identifying general high and low categories. However, the response falls short of the 150-word minimum requirement, containing only 146 words, which impacts the overall completeness of the task. Furthermore, several data details are awkwardly expressed, difficult to follow, or contain minor inaccuracies (e.g., 'every day and never are the lowest'). While the main trends are touched upon, the lack of full development and the under-length penalty restrict the score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The organisation of the text is hindered by fragmented paragraphing and abrupt transitions. The second paragraph attempts to group information by frequency categories, but sentences run together without clear cohesive devices or logical sequencing (e.g., 'Highest sections of chart, Once a week 2006 dominant at about 33%, second highest is 2003 at 31% and compare two these lowest is the aprox 27%...'). Paragraphing is poorly handled, with the final section trailing off abruptly at 'Never' without completing the thought. Referencing is frequently unclear, making it difficult for the reader to track which year or data point is being discussed.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, relying heavily on terms provided in the prompt (e.g., 'fast food', 'restaurants', 'years'). There are notable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'Highest sections of chart' instead of categories, and awkward phrasing like 'largest eating fast food'. Spelling and word formation errors also appear, including 'aprox' and 'comapred'. While the student attempts some less common vocabulary related to data reporting, inaccuracies in lexical control occasionally impede understanding.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The response displays a very limited range of grammatical structures. Most attempts at complex sentences result in run-on sentences, comma splices, and fragments (e.g., 'Highest sections are, A few times a year 2006 and 2013 are same about 15% and 2003 is the lowest around 13%. Never'). Grammatical inaccuracies are frequent, including missing prepositions, incorrect verb forms ('demonstrate' instead of 'demonstrates'), and missing articles. These persistent errors cause noticeable difficulty for the reader and reflect a weak grasp of sentence construction.

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