Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-23

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 chart illustrates the percentage of fast food consumers outside their homes. Data is collected for three different year which are 2003, 2006 and 2013 in the USA. There is flactuation between numbers every year. We will discuss resturants consumption on the basis of daily, weekly, monthly, yearly or those who never eat in resturants.

In the 2003, it has been seems that many people like to eat in the fast food shops just one time in a week. However, there are very few people who ate daily in those shops.

On the other hand, in 2006 almost 35% of the people which is the highst numbers amongst all eat in resturants weekly. Additionaly, there were very few people who never eat or prefer to eat in fast food clubs everyday.

In 2013, the fashion of weekly consumption is gradually slow. People goes to the resturants just one of two times in a month to eat fast food. The numbers of daily fast food consumers is very minimal.

Overall, in 2006 and 2013 the percentage those people who eat just a couple of times in a year is same. Furthermore, the numbers of daily consumers are very low in every year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the three years and mention several relevant categories, including weekly, monthly and daily eating, but the report only partially summarises the chart. Some key figures and comparisons are inaccurate: the weekly peak in 2006 was about 33%, not “almost 35%,” and in 2013 monthly eating was the most common frequency, at about 33%, rather than simply a growing preference for one or two visits. The statement that weekly consumption “gradually” declined also overlooks the rise from 2003 to 2006 before the fall in 2013. Your overview focuses on low daily consumption and the matching yearly figures, but misses the main shift from weekly eating being most common in 2003 and 2006 to monthly eating in 2013. Select and compare the dominant patterns more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, paragraphs discussing the years, and a concluding overview. This gives the reader a coherent overall arrangement, and transitions such as “On the other hand,” “In 2013,” and “Overall” help signal movement between points. However, the progression is sometimes mechanical and the year-by-year organisation leads to repeated comments about low daily consumption rather than a clear comparison of the main trends. Some references are also unclear, as in “the percentage those people,” and “There is fluctuation between numbers every year” does not prepare the reader for a specific overview. Grouping the figures by frequency or by the main changes across years, then using clearer links between comparisons, would make the progression more effective.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “percentage,” “consumption,” “weekly,” and “daily,” so the subject is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural, which sometimes makes the meaning less clear. For example, “fast food consumers outside their homes” is not a precise description of the chart, while “fast food clubs” and “fashion of weekly consumption” are unsuitable collocations. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “flactuation,” “resturants,” “highst,” and “Additionaly.” Aim for accurate chart language such as “frequency,” “share,” “ate out,” and “once or twice a month,” and check spelling carefully. Avoid replacing the chart’s simple categories with vague or invented descriptions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some complex sentence forms, including “However, there are very few people who ate daily” and “Overall, in 2006 and 2013…,” but the range is limited and errors occur frequently enough to affect clarity. Examples include “three different year,” “In the 2003, it has been seems,” and “People goes,” which show problems with plurals, articles, verb forms and subject–verb agreement. The sentence “the percentage those people who eat…” is also missing a grammatical link. Tense use shifts between past and present when describing the historical data. Use the past simple consistently for the years shown, and practise accurate comparative sentence patterns, such as “The proportion eating weekly fell from… to…,” while checking agreement and sentence construction.

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