Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-20

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 frequently people in the USA ate in fast food restaurants expenditure on six categories between 2003 to 2013.

Overall, in USA large percentage of people prefers eating in the fast-food restaurants once a week or once a month. Whereas very few people prefer to eat every day.

In 2003 the percentage of people eating out was moderate. more than 30 percent of people ate in a restaurant once a week. There are very few people who ate several times or every day. More than 5% people never eat out. In 2006 the percentage hit a high to almost 5 to 10 percent. The percentage of People eating once a week become almost 34 percent.

In 2013 there are less people eating out once a month compared to before. In 2006 the percentage was 35 percent. There are very few people who never eat out, and the percentage hit a low over time. Over the years the percentage of people eating out increased by 5 percent. The percentage of eating in a restaurant twice or more in a week was higher in 2006.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The student attempts to address the task by summarizing the main features of the bar chart, such as the popularity of eating out once a week or once a month. However, there are significant flaws in data reporting and task coverage. For instance, the statement 'in 2006 the percentage hit a high to almost 5 to 10 percent' is confusing and inaccurate regarding the categories. The response includes some unsupported or misread data points, and comparisons are generally weak and underdeveloped. The overview mentions general preferences, but lacks precision. Overall, the response addresses the prompt only partially, leading to a Band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is structured into paragraphs, but the overall progression of ideas is disjointed. While some basic cohesive devices are used (e.g., 'Overall', 'In 2003', 'In 2013'), the referencing is frequently unclear, and sentences often feel disconnected. Paragraphing is attempted, but the internal flow within paragraphs is weak. For example, jumping between years and categories without a clear logical thread makes the text harder to follow. Cohesive devices are sometimes used mechanically or inaccurately. This aligns with the Band 5 descriptor for coherence and cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The student demonstrates a limited, repetitive vocabulary suitable for basic communication (e.g., 'percentage of people', 'eating out', 'very few people'). There are noticeable lexical inaccuracies, such as 'expenditure on six categories' in the introduction, which does not match the chart showing eating frequency rather than spending, and awkward phrasing like 'become almost 34 percent'. Less common lexical items are rarely attempted successfully. Spelling is generally acceptable, but word choice errors occur frequently. These features place the lexical resource at a Band 5.0 level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student uses a mix of simple sentence forms and attempts at more complex structures, but these attempts are frequently faulty or ungrammatical. Examples of errors include 'in USA large percentage of people prefers' (missing articles and subject-verb agreement issues) and 'there are less people' instead of 'fewer people'. Punctuation and basic grammar errors are common, although they rarely completely impede communication. Because complex structures are often inaccurate and simple structures predominate with frequent errors, a band score of 5.0 is appropriate.

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

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