Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-07

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 chart portrays the frequency at which Americans consumed fast food in restaurants between 2003 and 2013. The chart surveyed people from 2003 to 2013, as shown in the key towards the bottom of the graphic. The main chart itself is divided into 5 sections indicating the frequencies of fast food consumption.

Overall, the rate at which Americans ate fast food in restaurants has remained relatively equal the category of 'once or twice a month' showing a slightly substantial difference over the time period.

Moving on, we will discuss each category in brief detail. Under 5% of people never ate fast food across the three years which is similar to the people who ate it everyday. According to the chart, most people either ate once a week, or once or twice a month. Furthermore, approximately 15% of people ate a few times a year whereas about 20% ate several times a week.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the chart’s subject and include a broad overview, noting that monthly eating was prominent and that weekly or monthly visits were the most common. However, the overview is unclear: saying the rate “remained relatively equal” does not explain the key shift, as once or twice a month rose to about 33% in 2013 while once a week declined from around 31–33% to 28%. Several details are also inaccurate or insufficiently tied to particular years. For example, “about 20% ate several times a week” applies mainly to 2006, not the whole period; the figures were about 17%, 20%, and 16%. The response reports few comparisons and leaves the main changes underdeveloped. Select the largest categories and describe their year-by-year movement accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph of supporting details. Phrases such as “Overall,” “Moving on,” and “Furthermore” make the sequence easy to follow, and the ideas remain relevant to the chart. However, the progression is somewhat mechanical, particularly with “we will discuss each category,” and the final paragraph lists broad observations rather than organising comparisons across the three years. The reference to “5 sections” is also confusing because six frequency categories are shown. Build the body around meaningful contrasts—for example, compare weekly and monthly eating, then group the less frequent categories—and use linking language to show changes rather than simply add points.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for describing the topic, including “frequency,” “consumed,” “approximately,” and “across the three years.” These choices help communicate the general subject, and the meaning is usually clear. Some phrasing is imprecise or unnatural, however: “remained relatively equal the category” does not form a clear comparison, while “slightly substantial difference” combines conflicting modifiers. “The chart surveyed people” also inaccurately attributes the survey action to the chart. Aim for precise trend language and natural collocations, such as saying that a proportion “remained broadly stable” or “increased.” Avoid unnecessary wording like “in brief detail,” and use the chart’s category labels consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You show a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, and most sentences are understandable. For instance, “Under 5% of people never ate fast food across the three years” is a clear, correctly formed statement, while the opening sentence uses a subordinate clause naturally. Some errors and awkward constructions remain. In “has remained relatively equal the category of ‘once or twice a month’ showing…,” the sentence lacks a clear grammatical connection between its parts; a full stop or a clause such as “with the once-or-twice-monthly category showing…” would help. “The main chart itself is divided into 5 sections indicating…” also creates an unclear modifier. Continue using varied structures, but check that each clause has a clear subject and that clauses are joined correctly.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.