Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-03

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 4.0)

The given bar graph illustrates junk food eaten by percent of Americans and its frequency in the period of 10 years.

A cursory glance at bar chart is adequate to show that below 5% people ate fast food on daily basis in 2003, 2006 and 2013. The ratio of several times a week ranged between 15% to 20% in

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response identifies the chart’s subject and reports two relevant features: daily eating was below 5% in all three years, and eating several times a week ranged from 15% to 20%. However, it stops before completing the comparison and gives no overview of the main pattern, such as weekly eating being most common in 2003 and 2006, while monthly eating became the leading category in 2013. Most categories and years are not discussed, so the task is addressed only minimally. The response is also substantially below the required 150 words, leaving too little information to summarise the chart adequately. To improve, provide a clear overview and compare the most significant categories across the three years, using accurate figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The opening sentence establishes the topic, and the next sentence begins to report chart data, so there is a basic sequence from introduction to detail. However, the response ends mid-sentence after “in,” which leaves the second comparison unfinished and prevents the reader from following a complete line of development. There is no overview paragraph or clear grouping of the data, and the very limited use of linking language means relationships between years and categories are not explained. Organise the response into an introduction, an overview, and one or two paragraphs comparing key figures. Complete each sentence and use straightforward links such as “by contrast” or “whereas” to make comparisons clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses some relevant chart vocabulary, including “bar graph,” “frequency,” “daily basis,” and “ranged between,” and the meaning is generally understandable. However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural for an IELTS chart summary: “junk food eaten by percent of Americans” does not accurately describe the measure, and “a cursory glance … is adequate to show” is an unnecessarily elaborate way to introduce a finding. The response also repeats general terms rather than using precise category labels such as “once a week” and “once or twice a month.” Use the chart’s wording where it is clear, and choose concise, accurate phrases such as “the proportion of Americans” and “ate at fast-food restaurants.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response shows some control of basic sentence forms, including the opening statement and the sentence reporting that the daily figure stayed below 5%. However, grammatical accuracy is uneven. In “below 5% people ate,” the noun phrase needs a determiner or a different construction, such as “fewer than 5% of people ate.” The phrase “in the period of 10 years” is also not well formed for the stated dates, and the final sentence is incomplete, ending with “in.” Sentence structures are mostly simple, with little evidence of a wider range. Practise accurate percentage constructions and complete comparative sentences, for example, “The figure for eating several times a week ranged from 16% to 20% over the period.”

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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