Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-25

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 6.0)

The given bar graph depicts the percentage of people who ate at fast food restaurants in the USA in the years 2003, 2006, and 2013.

Overall, it is clear that the majority of people ate fast food once a week, while a smaller number of people had meals once or twice a month at a restaurant in 2006. The people in the USA who went to restaurants every day and never visited restaurants were in a minority.

The figure of people who ate fast food at restaurants every day was less than 5%, although the residents who never ate at fast food restaurants were only 5% in 2003. Additionally, the proportion was less than 5% in 2006 and 2013. Furthermore, the residents in the USA who only ate a few times a year were 13% in 2003. The proportion of individuals was 15% in 2006 and 2013. Residents who had their meal several times a week in restaurants were 17% in 2003 and the figure rose to 20% in 2006. In addition, the number of customers who ate at fast food outlets declined to 16%.

Individuals who ate at fast food chains once a week were 31% in 2003, although there was a slight rise in the number of customers, from 31% to 33% in 2006. Moreover, the figure dropped to 27% in 2013. The percentage of people in the USA who ate at fast food chains once or twice a month was 30% in 2003 and fell to 25% in 2006. After that in 2013, there was a significant increase to 33% in the number of individuals who ate at fast food restaurants.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing a clear summary of the main trends and making relevant comparisons across the given years (2003, 2006, and 2013). An adequate overview is provided at the beginning, noting the dominant frequency ('once a week') and the minority groups. Key data points are accurately reported, such as the 31% in 2003 for eating fast food once a week and the peak at 33%. Minor inaccuracies, such as stating 'the figure dropped to 27% in 2013' for once a week (which was actually 28%), do not detract from the overall solid coverage of the visual data. The response meets all core requirements for task achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response is logically organised, featuring a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and detailed body paragraphs that systematically break down the categories from the chart. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'Additionally', 'Furthermore', and 'Moreover', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive in structure. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from specific data points, ensuring a clear progression of information throughout the text. Referencing is generally clear, though smoother linking between the data points would enhance the overall flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, successfully employing terms such as 'proportion', 'percentage', 'minority', and 'significant increase'. There are occasional awkward word choices or collocations, such as 'had meals once or twice a month at a restaurant' (fast food outlets are not typically referred to as restaurants in this context) and 'had their meal several times a week'. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, and vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning without impeding the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating relative clauses and subordinate structures like 'Individuals who ate at fast food chains once a week were 31% in 2003, although there was a slight rise...'. There are some minor grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'The figure of people' instead of 'The proportion of people', and slight awkwardness in phrasing, but these errors do not impede communication. Complex structures are attempted with reasonable success, demonstrating an acceptable level of grammatical control.

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