Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 bar chart compares the percentage of people consuming fast food between [redacted phone]

The chart is divided into three different years 2003,2006 and 2013.In 2003 approximately 31% of americans ate fast food a week,making it the most popular frequency. This figure increased slightly to around 33% in 2006 before falling to about 28% in 2013.Similarly,the proportion of people wate ate fast food several times a month rose from approximately 17% in 2003 to 20% in 2006, before dropping to around 15 % in 2013.

The percentage of people who ate fast food once twice a month about 30% in 2003.It then decereased to approximately 25 % in 2006, but increased to around 33% in 2013, becoming the most common eating habit in that year.

Meanwhile, aroun 12-15% of people ate fast food only a few times a yaer,and this figure remained relatively stable throughout the period.Finally, eating fast food everyday or never was uncommon, with both categories accounting for only around 2-4% of Americans.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You report several key patterns accurately: weekly eating peaks at about 33% in 2006 before falling, while monthly eating rises to roughly 33% by 2013. You also identify that daily eating and never eating were uncommon. However, the response lacks a clear, separate overview of the main trends, and some details are inaccurate or unclear. In particular, the 17% to 20% to 2013 figure refers to eating several times a week, not several times a month; the 2013 value is about 16%, rather than 15%. The statement that daily or never eating accounted for “2–4%” also blurs distinct figures, including 4.5% for never in 2003. Select and compare the main categories more precisely, and make the overall pattern explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The information is arranged in a generally logical sequence: you describe weekly and frequent eating, then monthly eating, and finish with the less common categories. Linking expressions such as “before falling,” “Meanwhile,” and “Finally” help show comparisons and progression. This gives the response a coherent overall structure. To make the organisation more effective, add a distinct overview near the beginning that summarises the main shifts, then group related categories consistently. Some transitions are attached to unclear comparisons—for example, “Similarly” introduces a category whose frequency label is misstated—so the reader has to work out what is being compared. Clearer paragraphing and more precise references to each frequency would make cohesion less dependent on linking words.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of chart vocabulary, including “proportion,” “accounting for,” “remained relatively stable,” and “most common eating habit.” These choices help describe changes and compare categories, and the meaning is generally clear. However, some wording is imprecise or repetitive: “ate fast food a week” is not a natural way to express weekly frequency, and “several times a month” mislabels the chart category. There are also spelling errors, including “decereased,” “aroun,” and “yaer,” which reduce accuracy. Use the chart’s frequency labels consistently and check spelling carefully. More precise verbs and phrases for rises, falls, and stability would also help you report the data with greater control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including a clear contrast in “It then decreased … but increased …” and a concluding clause with “becoming the most common eating habit.” Most relationships between ideas remain understandable. However, some grammatical and punctuation errors affect accuracy. The opening sentence is not punctuated as a complete introduction, and there are missing spaces after full stops and commas, such as “2013.In” and “Similarly,the.” In “The percentage … about 30%,” the verb “was” is missing; “It then decreased to” also needs a clearer grammatical construction in context. Review sentence boundaries, commas, and complete verb phrases, while continuing to use varied sentence forms.

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.