Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-09

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 provided bar graph illustrates how frequently people in the America ate im fast food restuarnts in 2003 to 2013.

Overall, the lowest quantity accounted to every day and never consumer all over the period. However, most higest consumer belog to the once a week and once or twice a month in various period.

In 2003, the highest proportion was 32% which belong to once a week eated likewise the second highest quntity accouned for exect 30% in once or twice a month and the lowest proportion was every day cosumer and never eated consumer which accouted for just bellow the 5% and othe on was jusr 5%. In contrast,in 2006 the most common option was once a week which accounted for 33%.

Followed by, the second common option was once oe twice a month consumer which accounted for 25% and the most least was every day and never consumer which accounted for about 3% and 4%. Likewise in 2013, the most lowest proportion was also everyday and never consumer about 3% and 4%. However the highest was oncer or twice a month which accounted to 33% followed by the second one was once a week which have 27% of individusal.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main categories and make relevant comparisons across all three years, including the shift from weekly eating being most common in 2003 and 2006 to monthly eating in 2013. Several figures are close to the chart, such as 33% for weekly visits in 2006 and 33% for monthly visits in 2013. However, the overview is unclear and does not summarise the main pattern precisely: daily and never eating were the least common, but the response calls them the “lowest quantity” without distinguishing their values. Some details are inaccurate or omitted: 2003 weekly eating is about 31%, not 32%, and the 2013 weekly figure is about 28%, not 27%; changes in several-times-a-week and yearly visits are not reported. A clearer overview and more accurate, selective comparisons would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure, beginning with an introduction and overview before describing the years in sequence. This gives the reader some sense of organisation, and phrases such as “In contrast” and “Likewise in 2013” signal comparisons. However, progression is weakened by awkward or incomplete transitions, including “Followed by,” which begins a fragment, and by repeated descriptions of the lowest and highest categories. The overview also combines several ideas without clearly establishing the main trend. Grouping the figures by meaningful patterns—for example, the leading frequency in each year, followed by the less common categories—would create a clearer progression. Use linking expressions selectively and connect each comparison in complete sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “proportion,” “accounted for,” “highest,” and “common option,” so the chart’s subject is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “lowest quantity,” “most highest consumer,” and “once a week eated.” Spelling errors—including “restuarnts,” “belog,” “quntity,” and “individusal”—are noticeable and sometimes make the reader work to understand the intended meaning. “Consumer” is also repeatedly used where “people” or “respondents” would be more appropriate. Build a reliable set of chart-description phrases and check spelling and word forms; this would make the comparisons more precise and natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the response uses time references to compare the three years. However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently in sentence construction, verb forms, articles, and agreement. For example, “the highest proportion was 32% which belong to once a week eated” has an unclear clause and incorrect verb forms, while “the second one was once a week which have 27%” does not maintain correct tense or agreement. Some sentences run together, as in “In contrast,in 2006,” and the fragment “Followed by” is not a complete sentence. Practise forming clear subject–verb sentences in the past tense, then combine them with accurate relative clauses and punctuation.

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

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