Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-15

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 chart illustrates the proportion of people who are eating fast food in the USA in 2003, 2006 and 2013.

Overall, it can be seen that individuals in 2006 were eating more fast food as compared to both 2003 and 2013 year's people. In addition, the frequency of eating fast food resturants of those citizens were higher who were eatnig it once a week or once a month.

If we look into detail, the individuals who were eating daily or never eat a single day were 5% or less than it. In 2006, 33% of people were eating fast food once a week which is equal to those people who were eating once or twice a month in 2013. In contrast, 31% and 30% citizens were eating once a week or once a month in 2003. The proportion of citizens who were eating several times a week is 17%, 20%, 16% in 2003, 2006 and 2007. In addition, the ratio of individuals who were eating this few times in a year is 15% both in 2006 and 2013 but in 2003 was less which is 13%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the chart’s subject and include several relevant comparisons, such as the weekly figures in 2003 and the monthly figure in 2013. However, the overview is not fully accurate: saying people in 2006 ate fast food more than in both other years is too broad, since 2013 had the highest share eating once or twice a month, and 2003 had the highest share eating once a week. The statement that weekly or monthly eating was generally higher is relevant but needs a clearer summary of these shifts. There is also a factual error in reporting the several-times-a-week figure for 2013 as 16% in 2007; the chart shows 16% in 2013. Select the main patterns more precisely and compare all three years consistently.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure, with an introduction, an overview and a detail paragraph, and it uses signposts such as “Overall,” “In contrast” and “In addition.” These help the reader follow the general topic. However, progression within the overview is unclear: the claim that 2006 had more fast-food eating overall is not supported by a clear comparison, and the next sentence shifts to frequency categories without explaining their relationship. The detail paragraph also moves between daily/never, weekly and yearly figures, making the comparisons feel somewhat list-like. Grouping the figures by similar frequency or by year, and using clearer references such as “this category” or “the corresponding share,” would make the organisation more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic vocabulary to communicate the chart’s subject, including “proportion,” “frequency,” “citizens” and “once or twice a month.” There is also some variation in how you refer to people. However, several word choices and collocations are awkward or repetitive, such as “eating fast food restaurants,” “the frequency of eating fast food resturants,” and “were eating this few times in a year.” Spelling errors in “resturants” and “eatnig” are noticeable, and “ratio” is not the most suitable term for a percentage share. Use more precise chart language, for example “ate at fast-food restaurants,” “the proportion of people,” and “a few times a year,” while checking spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a comparison with “which is equal to” and a contrast introduced by “In contrast.” Meaning is generally recoverable, but errors in verb forms, agreement and sentence construction occur across the response. For example, “individuals in 2006 were eating more … as compared to … 2013 year's people” is an awkwardly formed comparison, while “those citizens were higher who were eatnig it” has an unclear clause structure. The sentence beginning “The proportion of citizens … is 17%, 20%, 16%” also shifts tense and does not clearly match the three years. Use past simple consistently for the historical data and build direct comparison sentences, such as “The figures were 17%, 20% and 16% in 2003, 2006 and 2013, respectively.”

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