Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-05

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 grapgh compares the average habit of eating fast food restaurants in the America in 3 differnt years 2003, 2006 and 2013.

Overall, going to restaurant once in a week was very popular in 2006 while this habit change into once or twice a month in 2013 at its highest. Eating fast food everyday was the least opton for the residents of USA.

In 2013, the proportion of people ate fast food just under 35% once or twice a month was at higher than other, compared with 2003 increase by almost 4%. while people ate

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the chart’s subject and make a relevant overview: weekly dining was most common in 2006, while monthly visits were highest in 2013, and daily eating was among the least common categories. However, the report is only partial and ends mid-sentence (“while people ate”), so several categories and the comparisons across all three years are not covered. The 2013 monthly figure is described as just under 35%, which is broadly accurate, but the comparison with 2003 is unclear: it rose from about 30% to 33%, rather than being explained precisely. The response also falls 54 words short of the required minimum. To develop the report, include the main movements in weekly and several-times-a-week visits, plus the low-frequency categories, and complete the comparison.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and the start of a detail paragraph. The overview gives the reader a useful sense of the main pattern. However, the response does not progress into a complete account of the data, and the final paragraph breaks off after “while people ate,” leaving the comparison unfinished. Connections between ideas are also sometimes unclear; for example, “compared with 2003 increase by almost 4%” does not clearly state which figure increased. The opening and overview could be followed by organised details comparing the years or grouping the most and least frequent habits. Use linking phrases only where they clarify the relationship, and ensure each paragraph develops a complete point.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a chart, including “proportion,” “popular,” “highest,” and “least,” so the topic is generally understandable. There is some attempt to vary expression through phrases such as “once or twice a month” and “everyday.” However, several word choices and collocations are awkward, including “average habit of eating fast food restaurants” and “least option for the residents,” which make the description less natural. Spelling errors such as “grapgh,” “differnt,” and “opton” are noticeable. Aim for precise chart language such as “frequency of visits,” “the largest share,” and “the least common pattern,” and check spelling and word forms before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a comparison introduced by “while.” However, control is uneven, and errors sometimes make relationships between figures difficult to follow. For example, “the proportion of people ate fast food” needs a grammatical link such as “the proportion of people who ate fast food,” while “compared with 2003 increase by almost 4%” lacks a clear subject and verb structure. There are also problems with articles and prepositions in “eating fast food restaurants in the America” and with sentence boundaries, including the lower-case “while” after a full stop. Practise complete comparison sentences with clear subjects, accurate past-tense verbs, and consistent punctuation.

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

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