Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-24

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 5.0)

The chart below depicts the increase in fast food consumption between 2003, 2006 and 2013 in USA.

To begin with, most people ate once in week while other preferred to eat after a month or two, followed by a small proportion who ate a few in the whole year. Only a small proportion of individuals observed who never ate fast food throughout the period.

Furthermore, in 2003 total 30%-31% ate once a week or once or twice a month, followed by 13% who ate a few in a year and 5% who never ate fast food. Moreover, in 2006, 33% Americans who ae once in a week while 25% ate once in a month or twice. Meanwhile, in 2013 less than 5% recorded who never consumed fast food or who ate this every day.

To sum up, a fluctuation was observed, overlal highest recorded in 2006 and 2013.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies relevant categories and includes several figures, such as 33% eating weekly in 2006 and about 25% eating monthly that year. However, it does not adequately summarise the chart’s main patterns: the opening claim that consumption increased is unsupported, and the conclusion that the overall highest figures were in 2006 and 2013 is unclear and inaccurate. Important comparisons are missing, including the shift from weekly eating being most common in 2003 and 2006 to monthly eating leading in 2013. Some statements are too vague to verify, such as “other preferred to eat after a month or two.” The response is also two words below the required minimum. A clear overview and accurate comparisons across all three years are needed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an introduction to general observations, year-specific figures, and a conclusion. Linking expressions such as “Furthermore,” “Meanwhile,” and “To sum up” help signal these stages. However, the progression between ideas is not consistently clear: the second paragraph begins with broad claims, then shifts to selected figures without explaining how they relate to the overview. The final sentence, “a fluctuation was observed, overlal highest recorded in 2006 and 2013,” is difficult to interpret and does not effectively conclude the report. Organise the body around the main comparisons—for example, frequent versus less frequent eating—and use clearer references to connect each year’s data.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses some appropriate chart vocabulary, including “proportion,” “consumed,” “recorded,” and “fluctuation,” and the meaning is generally recoverable. However, the range is limited and several phrases are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “ate once in week,” “ate a few in the whole year,” and “after a month or two.” The phrase “increase in fast food consumption” also suggests a general rise that the data do not show. There are spelling and word-form slips, including “ae” and “overlal,” which reduce precision. Aim for accurate, natural collocations such as “ate fast food once a week” and “a few times a year,” and use vocabulary that describes the chart’s actual patterns rather than implying an overall increase.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response attempts a few complex sentence forms, including “while” and “who” clauses, and most of the intended meaning can be understood. However, errors in basic sentence construction and grammatical patterns are noticeable. Examples include “most people ate once in week,” which needs an article and a more complete expression, and “Only a small proportion of individuals observed who never ate,” which lacks a clear main verb structure. In “33% Americans who ae once in a week,” the noun phrase and clause are not grammatically complete; “in 2003 total 30%-31% ate” also needs clearer sentence structure and punctuation. Practise complete subject–verb clauses and accurate articles and prepositions, while varying sentence forms without sacrificing clarity.

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