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)

The given bar chart elucidate information about frequency of eating at fast food restaurants among people in the usa ( 2003 - 2013 ). The chart compares different categories and presents the data in numbers or percentges . Overall , it is clear that there are noticeable differences among the categories shown in the chart , 2006 appear to be the highest while , 2013 opposite of it . In addition , some categories by some fluctuation increment s well as decrement whereas some cases they remain stable . According to the chart , the first activity in 2003 4% of people eating at fast food every day 3% in 2006 and 2013 compares to the other . The followed by the second activity 17% of people eating fast food in 2003 and 20% of people 2006 and 16% 2013 . Furthermore , the frequency of eating fast food restaurents once a week 31% of people in 2003 33% 2006 and 28% 2013 . Let's have a look at the remaning information , 8% of people eating fast food 2003 and 2006 ,2013 staying close 15% 15%. People never eating fast food in 2003 at 5% and 3% in 2006 and 2013 . All the provided data suggest that there is no stability in all the activities .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the chart’s subject and report several relevant figures, including the weekly category (31%, 33%, then 28%) and the daily category (4%, then 3%). However, the overview is vague and partly inaccurate: saying “2006 appear to be the highest” does not specify that weekly eating peaks in 2006 while monthly eating peaks in 2013. More importantly, “8%” for eating once or twice a month is incorrect; the figures are 30%, 25% and 33%. The response also omits this category’s actual pattern and does not clearly compare the main trends. To strengthen the report, give a precise overview of the leading frequencies and describe the monthly and yearly categories accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is some organisation: the response begins with an introduction and overview, then moves through several frequency categories. Linking expressions such as “According to the chart,” “Furthermore,” and “In addition” help signal movement between points. However, the progression is not consistently clear, and the overview’s general statements are not developed into a useful summary. The phrase “Let's have a look at the remaning information” is conversational and does not clearly identify which categories follow. Some sentences combine several figures without clear punctuation or comparison, making relationships harder to follow. Use a clear overview paragraph followed by two grouped detail paragraphs, and connect each comparison explicitly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “frequency,” “categories,” “fluctuation,” and “decrement,” and the reader can generally recognise the topic. However, word choice and spelling errors are noticeable and sometimes make the meaning less clear. Examples include “elucidate information,” “percentges,” “restaurents,” and “remaning”; “numbers or percentages” is also imprecise because the chart reports percentages. Several phrases are awkward or repetitive, such as “the first activity” and “the second activity” instead of naming the eating frequency. Aim for accurate, natural chart language and use the category labels directly, such as “daily,” “weekly,” and “once or twice a month.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple statements and longer sentences, but the range is limited and errors occur frequently. For example, “2006 appear to be the highest” lacks correct subject–verb agreement and a clear noun, while “4% of people eating at fast food every day” is a fragment rather than a complete sentence. Articles and sentence patterns are also often missing, as in “frequency of eating fast food restaurents once a week 31% of people.” Punctuation and spacing around commas and full stops are inconsistent, which further obscures sentence boundaries. Build complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check agreement and tense, for example: “The proportion eating fast food daily was 4% in 2003 and 3% in both later years.”

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