Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-26

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)

In usa the frequency of people eating at fast food restaurants have increased gradually between the two time lines.

People in 2003 consumed more compared to people in 2013 who ate daily

section of people who intake fast food several times a week were also slightly high in 2003 than in 2013

Category of people who have eaten once a week were also little bit more in 2003 compared to people in 2013

There is a gradual shift in section of people who ate once or twice a month were people in 2013 is more compared to people in 2003

The trend continues with people in 2013 who were in the category of few times a year being more than people in 2003

Then there is people more who never eat any fast food in 2003 than in 2013

The overall chart depicts there is people in 2003 than in 2013 who ate more

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify several relevant categories and make some valid comparisons: for example, weekly eating was higher in 2003 than in 2013, while monthly eating was higher in 2013. However, the overview is unclear and partly inaccurate. The claim that fast-food eating “increased gradually” is not supported by the chart, since several categories fell and others rose. The final statement that people in 2003 “ate more” is also too broad to represent the mixed pattern. Important features, such as once-a-week eating being the most common category in 2003 and 2006, and monthly eating becoming the most common in 2013, are not clearly highlighted. Develop a precise overview and support it with accurate figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response follows the chart categories in a broadly understandable order, and phrases such as “The trend continues” attempt to connect comparisons. However, the ideas are presented as a sequence of separate lines rather than in clearly organised paragraphs, so there is little distinction between an overview and supporting details. Several links are repetitive or unclear, including repeated use of “compared to” and the transition from “There is a gradual shift” to “The trend continues.” The final sentence repeats the general comparison without resolving the mixed trends. Group the main overview separately, then organise details by categories that rose or fell, using clear references and less repetitive linking.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “frequency,” “category,” “gradual shift,” and “trend,” which helps communicate that you are describing changes across eating habits. However, the range is limited and several choices are imprecise or unnatural for chart reporting. “Consumed” is not the clearest verb for frequency, while “intake fast food” and “section of people” are awkward collocations. Repeated phrases such as “people in 2003” and “compared to” also make the account less precise. Use standard expressions such as “the proportion of people,” “ate at fast-food restaurants,” and “was higher than,” and choose verbs that describe the data rather than implying total consumption.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to express comparisons and changes, but sentence structures are mostly simple and several grammatical errors make relationships difficult to follow. For example, “the frequency … have increased” has subject–verb disagreement, and “people in 2013 is more” has an incorrect verb form. The sentence beginning “There is a gradual shift … were people in 2013” is particularly difficult to parse because its clauses are not joined correctly. Articles and sentence boundaries are also inconsistent, as in “Then there is people more.” Practise accurate comparative clauses and past-tense reporting, such as “The proportion who ate monthly was higher in 2013 than in 2003,” before attempting longer sentences.

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