Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-22

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 compares the method of frequently individuals in the USA ate food ( everyday, several times a week, once a week, once aor twice a month, a few times a year and never) restaurants from 2003 to 2013. The units are measured in percentage.

Overall, the once a week and once or twice a month were hold the highest percentage of the USA people ate fast food restaurants. While, the lowest percentage hold by every day and never.

In 2006, in the USA the highest percentage was around 33% in once a week. However, the several times a week also with high percentage with at 20% people. In contrast, A few times a year had the most percentage at 15% compare to others year.

By 2013, the most people ate fast food in once or twice a month appoximently 33%. And the once a week people ate around 27% . But, a few times a year was with same as 2006 at 15%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main categories and give relevant figures for 2006 and 2013, including the peak of 33% for weekly eating in 2006 and the rise to about 33% for monthly eating in 2013. The overview also correctly notes that these two frequencies were the most common and that daily eating and never eating were among the least common. However, the account is only partial: 2003 is not described, and the overview does not clearly summarise the key change across the period, namely the shift from weekly eating being most common to monthly eating. Some comparisons, such as “compare to others year,” are unclear. Include the main pattern across all three years and make comparisons precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and separate paragraphs for 2006 and 2013. This helps the reader follow the selected information. However, there is no clear progression through the full time period because 2003 is omitted, and the body paragraphs do not consistently compare categories or years. Linking is sometimes mechanical or inaccurate: “However” does not express a clear contrast in the 2006 paragraph, while “But” begins the final comparison without explaining the relationship. The overview’s “While” is also left as a fragment. Organise the details around the main trends, and use linking words only when their logical relationship is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant chart vocabulary such as “percentage,” “highest,” and “lowest,” and the frequency labels help communicate the topic. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations make the meaning awkward, including “method of frequently individuals,” “hold the highest percentage,” and “the most percentage.” There are also spelling errors such as “appoximently,” and the phrase “ate food restaurants” is imprecise. These issues sometimes make the reader work to understand your meaning, which is consistent with a limited but minimally adequate vocabulary range. Use standard reporting expressions such as “the proportion of people who ate out” and check spelling and collocations carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and more complex forms, including “While…” and “However…,” but control is inconsistent. Errors in verb forms and sentence construction appear in examples such as “were hold the highest percentage” and “the lowest percentage hold by every day and never.” The opening sentence is also difficult to parse because its elements are not arranged into a clear grammatical structure. Articles and prepositions are sometimes missing or misplaced, as in “in once a week” and “at 20% people.” These errors can make relationships between the data and categories unclear. Practise accurate comparison patterns, for example, “The highest figure was 33% for people who ate fast food once a week.”

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