Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-21

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 6.5)

The bar chart provides information about the percentage of people and how frequent Americans eat at fast food restaurants. The study compares data from three different years: 2003, 2006, and 2013.

Overall, it can be seen that both once a week and once or twice a month from years 2006 and 2013 had the highest figures recorded of how frequent Americans eat at fast food restaurants while everyday was the least from the same period.

In detail, it is noted that in 2003, most Americans frequent fast food restaurants once a week and once or twice a month at a close figure of around 31% and 30% of people, respectively. About 17% ate at fast food restaurant several times a week. This is closely followed by a few times a year at approximately 13%. Never and everyday were the least reported frequency of restaurant visit at not more than 5%.

A partly similar pattern was seen in 2006 where a third of Americans frequented fast food restaurants once a week while a quarter of them visit once or twice a month and a fifth several times a week. It is also noted that 15% of them frequent fast food restaurants a few times a year and it is clear that never and everyday were the least frequented time.

A different pattern was seen in 2013 where about a third of Americans ate at fast food restaurants once or twice a month. This is closely followed by once a week at nearly 24%. A few times a year and several times a week had a close figure of 15% and about 17% and still never and everyday were the least at less than 5%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the three years and report several key categories, including the leading frequencies in 2003 and the rise in monthly visits by 2013. The overview also recognises that daily eating was consistently among the least common patterns. However, it is not fully accurate: in 2013, once a week was about 28%, not “nearly 24%,” and several times a week was about 16%, rather than 17%. The overview’s claim that both weekly and monthly eating had the highest figures in 2006 and 2013 is also imprecise: in 2006, once a week was clearly highest, while in 2013 monthly visits led. More precise comparisons across years and a clearer overview would strengthen the report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised into an introduction, an overview and separate paragraphs for each year, giving the reader a clear route through the data. Sequencing within the year-by-year paragraphs is generally logical, and phrases such as “This is closely followed by” help connect comparisons. The overview, however, groups the 2006 and 2013 patterns together even though their leading categories differ, which weakens the progression of the main comparison. Some linking language is also repetitive, particularly repeated uses of “It is noted” and “This is closely followed by.” To make the organisation more effective, group the years around trends—for example, the shift from weekly to monthly visits—and use a wider range of concise transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “percentage,” “approximately,” “a third,” “a quarter,” and “a fifth,” which helps describe proportions. There are also attempts at more formal reporting language, such as “the least reported frequency.” However, several word choices and collocations are awkward or imprecise: “how frequent Americans eat” would be more naturally expressed as “how often Americans eat,” and “the least frequented time” does not accurately describe a frequency category. “Frequent” is also repeatedly used as a verb where “ate” or “visited” would be clearer. Aim for precise, natural collocations and avoid repeating the same reporting phrases; this would add flexibility and improve the accuracy of your descriptions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “where” and “while,” and most sentences communicate the intended comparisons. Some grammatical errors remain, however. For example, “how frequent Americans eat” has an incorrect adjective structure; “a quarter of them visit” shifts into the present tense while describing 2006; and “everyday was the least” lacks a suitable grammatical construction for the category. In “a few times a year and several times a week had a close figure,” the singular “figure” does not agree with the two categories. Keep past-tense reporting consistent, check subject–verb agreement, and use complete constructions such as “the least common category was eating every day.”

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