Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-02

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 illustrate about how frequent individuals went to fast food restaurants in three years 2003, 2006 and 2013.

Overall, it tell us about in 2003 most of the people went to a fast food chain once a week, and fewest people went every day; the year 2006 is as same as 2003; in 2013 most of the time people went there in once or twice a month in at fast food restaurants, and the least people every day.

In the year 2003, majority of the people about 31% went to at fast food restaurant once a week as compare with 2006 its sidle lower than that; in 2006 about 33% people went to a fast food chain once a week; in the recent year 2013 mainly about 33% of people went to a fast food restaurant once or twice a month as compare with other years people eat less in this year.

In every day, people in 2003 about 4% and in 2006 about 3% also in 2013 the percentage is same; in several times a week , people about 17% in 2003 and 2006 people about 20% also in recent year about 16%. the average of people how never went to that restaurant is about 5% percentage in all years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main shift: once-a-week visits were most common in 2003 and 2006, while monthly visits led in 2013. You also report several relevant figures, including 31% and 33% for weekly visits and 33% for monthly visits in 2013. However, the overview is not fully accurate: saying 2006 was “as same as 2003” overlooks the change in the leading category’s share and the rise in several-times-a-week visits. The claim that people “eat less in this year” is unclear and not supported as a general trend. Some categories, especially once or twice a month and a few times a year, receive limited comparison across all three years. A clearer overview and more selective, accurate comparisons would strengthen coverage of the chart.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details about the three years, and the main categories are generally presented in a sensible order. This gives the reader an overall route through the information. However, connections between ideas are sometimes awkward or unclear, particularly in “the year 2006 is as same as 2003” and “as compare with other years people eat less in this year.” The final paragraph shifts between daily, weekly and never categories without clearly grouping or comparing them. Repeated use of “in 2003,” “in 2006” and “in 2013” also makes the progression feel mechanical. Group related categories and use clearer comparison links, such as “by contrast” and “whereas,” to improve flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “percentage,” “once a week,” “once or twice a month” and “fast food restaurant,” so the reader can identify the categories being described. However, the range of reporting language is limited, and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unnatural. For example, “how frequent individuals went” does not express frequency naturally, while “the average of people how never went” is difficult to interpret. Phrases such as “most of the time people went there in once or twice a month” also reduce precision. Aim for concise chart language and vary verbs such as “accounted for,” “rose” and “fell,” while checking that each phrase accurately describes a proportion or category.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer comparisons, and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, control is inconsistent, especially in longer sentences, and errors in agreement, articles, prepositions and sentence boundaries sometimes make the relationships between figures unclear. Examples include “The bar chart illustrate,” “it tell us,” and “went to at fast food restaurant.” The sentence beginning “In every day, people in 2003 about 4%” lacks a clear verb, while the final paragraph joins several comparisons with weak punctuation. Practise building complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and use accurate patterns such as “the figure was 4%” and “compared with 2006.” Shorter, carefully checked comparisons would improve accuracy.

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