Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-28
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 graph demonstrates that how often individuals in the USA ate in junk food in restaurants from 2003 to 2013.
There were minimum people who ate fast food daily or never in their lifetime in restaurant. The percentage of individuals peaked in the middle and end of era where they ate once a week or once a month. The citizens who ate several times a week and who ate a few times a year were middle of all other categories.
The were less than 5% peolple who ate every day and who never ate in their whole life in a decade. The higher percentge is seen in 2006 among people who ate once a week while in 2013, higher percentage of individuals; who ate once a month. On the other hand, people who ate several times a week and who ate few times a year were between 13-20% in a decade.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt by attempting to summarise the main features of the chart, noting categories like eating once a week or once a month. However, there are significant limitations in data accuracy and interpretation. For example, the writer states that 'There were minimum people who ate fast food daily or never', which is generally accurate for the extremes, but the overall reporting lacks precise figures and clear comparisons. The overview is weak, and some descriptions are vague or slightly confusing, such as 'citizens who ate several times a week and who ate a few times a year were middle of all other categories'. While the main trends are touched upon, the lack of precise data points and underdeveloped comparisons place this response at Band 5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is arranged into two paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The opening sentence is grammatically incomplete and introduces the topic awkwardly ('The graph demonstrates that how often...'). While some cohesive devices are attempted, such as 'On the other hand', referencing and flow are frequently faulty. For instance, the second paragraph abruptly repeats similar categories mentioned in the first paragraph ('The were less than 5% peolple who ate every day...') without adding new progression or clear paragraphing logic. Paragraphing is used, but the internal cohesion often feels mechanical and disjointed, justifying a Band 5 score.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive. The writer relies heavily on simple terms and informal phrasing, such as 'junk food in restaurants' (the chart refers generally to fast food restaurants) and 'middle of all other categories'. There are noticeable lexical errors and awkward collocations, such as 'end of era' instead of 'end of the period'. Attempts at less common vocabulary are limited and often inaccurate, causing some strain for the reader. Spelling errors also occur, such as 'peolple' instead of 'people' and 'percentge'. These issues correspond to a Band 5 level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The text displays a very limited range of grammatical structures. The opening sentence contains a major grammatical error: 'The graph demonstrates that how often individuals...', where the inclusion of 'that' creates a faulty noun clause structure. Other errors include subject-verb agreement issues and awkward phrasing like 'There were minimum people'. Complex sentences are attempted, but they frequently contain errors, such as 'while in 2013, higher percentage of individuals; who ate once a month', which lacks a main verb and is punctuated incorrectly with a semicolon. Frequent errors persist and occasionally impede communication, placing this at Band 5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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