Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-01

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 5.5)

The bar graph illustrates the percentage of masses in usa eat fast food in restaurants during 2003 to 2013. Overall, it can clearly seen that once a week and once or twice a month proportion the most popular choice for eating in restaurants and for every day category the least choice of people.

To begin with, for 2003 the category of every day and never is under 5%. On the other hand, once a week and once or twice a month section over the 30%.futhermore, for 2006 once a week for food eating in restaurants higest one with 33% and once or twice a month 25%. the every day and never choice of category below to 5%.

Moreover, for 2013 the lowest choice for food eating category is every day and never just under 5%. And several times a week and a few times a year display almost same percentages. But, once or twice a month proportion the most demanding choice for food eating in usa at 33%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the chart across the years 2003, 2006, and 2013, and makes some relevant comparisons, such as noting that 'once a week' and 'once or twice a month' were the most popular choices. However, the task achievement is limited by some under-developed ideas and awkward phrasing regarding data points. While an overview is attempted in the introduction, it is somewhat vague and lacks precision. Key features are selected, but the reporting of specific percentages contains minor inaccuracies or omissions when compared to the visual data. To reach a higher level, the writer would need to provide a clearer, more fully developed overview and ensure that all key trends and comparisons are presented with greater precision and depth.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt to structure the answer into an introduction and three body paragraphs, each tackling a different year. Information is generally organized logically, moving chronologically through the data. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical and referencing is not always clear, with repetitive transitional phrases like 'To begin with', 'for 2003', and 'for 2013' dominating the paragraph openings. Furthermore, some sentences lack smooth transitions, making the progression feel slightly disjointed in places. To improve coherence, the writer should employ a wider and more flexible range of cohesive devices and ensure that paragraphs are linked seamlessly to guide the reader effortlessly through the analysis.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to communicate basic trends and percentages. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, such as 'proportion', 'demand', and 'percentage', but these are often accompanied by inaccuracies in word choice, collocation, and word form, as seen in expressions like 'percentage of masses' and 'most demanding choice'. Additionally, there are noticeable spelling and phrasing errors throughout the text that reflect a limited and repetitive lexical range. To achieve a higher score, the writer needs to expand their vocabulary to include precise topic-specific terminology and demonstrate better control over word formation and collocations to ensure natural and accurate expression.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response displays a limited range of sentence structures, relying heavily on simple clauses and basic descriptive patterns. While there are some attempts at complex sentence forms, these are frequently faulty, characterized by missing verbs, incorrect prepositions, and grammatical omissions (e.g., 'it can clearly seen that', 'proportion the most popular choice'). Frequent errors in basic grammar, subject-verb agreement, and articles cause some difficulty for the reader. To move up to a higher band, the writer must incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical structures with a higher proportion of error-free sentences, ensuring strict adherence to standard English grammar rules, particularly regarding verb tenses and clause formation.

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

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