Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-04

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 bar chart illustrates different proportions of people eating in fast food restaurants in USA between 2003 and 2013.

Overall, the bar chart shows clearly that a big categorie of US poeple eat just once a week or twice a month, while there is a few ones who eats every day, which means that US poeple prefer healthy food rather then fast foods.

In 2003, we see that US people a few of them around 4% and 5% who eats every day and never eat at all respectively, while there is a large categorie where they eat only once a week to two a month with approximtely 32% to 30% respectively. In addition there is around 17% and 13% who eats several times a week and a few times a year respectively.

In 2006 to 2013, we see that US people became more healthy there is a decrease of them eating every day to around 2% only. while sm

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the chart’s subject and report several relevant figures, including the high proportions eating once a week or once or twice a month in 2003. However, the response only partially summarises the data: it ends mid-sentence (“while sm…”) and gives little usable comparison across all three years. Some figures are inaccurate or imprecise: in 2003, “around 32%” for weekly eating should be about 31%, and the daily figure falls to about 3% in 2006 and 2013, not 2%. The claim that the pattern means people “prefer healthy food” is not supported by the chart. Give a complete overview, accurately compare the main categories over time, and avoid conclusions the data cannot establish.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is a basic paragraph structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph beginning with 2003 data. The time references and connectors such as “Overall” and “In addition” help signal the intended organisation. However, progression is limited because the final paragraph stops abruptly at “while sm…”, leaving the 2006–2013 comparison unfinished. The overview also makes an unsupported inference rather than clearly summarising the chart’s main pattern. Some linking is mechanical, and the long sentence beginning “In 2003, we see…” combines several figures without a clear hierarchy. Complete each paragraph, group related categories, and use comparisons to guide the reader from one year to the next.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant chart vocabulary, including “proportions,” “decrease,” and “approximately,” and it attempts to describe frequency categories. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or informal, such as “a big categorie,” “a few ones,” and “became more healthy.” Spelling errors, including “poeple” and “approximtely,” are noticeable and reduce precision. The repeated phrase “US people” also makes the description less fluent. Use the chart’s category labels directly and choose precise terms for proportions and changes; proofreading spelling and word forms would make the information easier to understand.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, using clauses introduced by “while” and “which means.” However, control is inconsistent, and errors in agreement and sentence construction occur repeatedly. For example, “there is a few ones who eats” has disagreement between the subject and verb, while “a large categorie where they eat” does not form a clear grammatical description. The sentence beginning “In 2006 to 2013, we see…” is also incomplete, ending with a fragment after “while.” Capitalisation after a full stop is inconsistent, as in “only. while”. Practise complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs, and check agreement and punctuation when joining comparisons.

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