Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-13
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The charts below show the average percentages in typical meals of three types of nutrients, all of which may be unhealthy if eaten too much.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Average percentages of sodium, saturated fats and added sugars in typical meals consumed in the USA
Student answer (Band 5.5)
The chart illustrates the average percentages in typical meals of three types of nutrients in the USA.
Overall, all of three types of nutrients remained stable iat breakfast.
Firstly, the proportion of sodium is 14 percent at breakfast, while the proportion of saturated fat and added sugar stood at same 16 percent at breakfast. Although, the proportion of sodiums at breakfast and snacks the figures stood same 14 percent. However, the usage of nutrients at lunch slightly changes throghout a day the percentage below shows 29 percent sodium 26 percent saturated fat and 19 percent added sugar.
On the other hand, the consist of added sugar 42 percent in snack have the significant proportion compared with other nutrients. Meanwhile, the consist of sodium 43 percent at dinner does not exceed of added sugar percentage and is just over 1 percent higher.
Nevertheless, the proportion of sodium saturated fat and added sugar have significantly higher figurs at dinner and snacks, while the proportion of this three nutrients slighlty declines at breakfast.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You identify the subject and report several accurate figures, including breakfast values, lunch percentages, and the high snack share of added sugar. However, the overview is unclear and partly inaccurate: “all of three types of nutrients remained stable at breakfast” does not describe the main pattern across meals. The final claim that all three nutrients are significantly higher at dinner and snacks is also too broad, since added sugar peaks at snacks while sodium and saturated fat peak at dinner. The comparison that sodium at dinner is only just over 1% higher than added sugar at snacks is incorrect: 43% is one percentage point higher than 42%, but these values refer to different nutrients and meals. Select the main peaks and contrasts, and describe them precisely.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
There is some organisation: the response begins with an introduction, then discusses breakfast and lunch before moving to dinner and snacks. However, the progression is not consistently clear, and the paragraphing does not separate an overview from supporting details. Connectors such as “Firstly,” “Although,” “However,” “On the other hand,” and “Nevertheless” are frequent but do not always show the relationship between ideas; for example, “Although” introduces a statement that is not completed as a contrast. The repeated references to breakfast and the final broad summary also make the sequence feel repetitive. Use a concise overview after the introduction, then group comparisons by meal or nutrient, with linking words that accurately signal contrast or addition.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use relevant chart vocabulary such as “proportion,” “percentage,” and “compared with,” and the reader can generally understand which nutrients and meals you mean. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, including “the consist of added sugar,” “usage of nutrients,” and “the figures stood same.” There are also noticeable spelling errors, such as “throghout,” “figurs,” and “slighlty,” which reduce precision. Aim for standard data-reporting expressions and check spelling carefully. For example, describe a value as a “share” or “proportion,” say that it “accounted for” a percentage, and use “was the highest” to identify a peak.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response attempts some longer sentences and uses comparison structures, but the range is limited and errors are frequent enough to make parts difficult to follow. Examples include “all of three types of nutrients remained stable iat breakfast,” where the article and sentence construction are faulty, and “Although, the proportion of sodiums at breakfast and snacks the figures stood same 14 percent,” which lacks a clear grammatical structure. In “the proportion of sodium saturated fat and added sugar have significantly higher figurs,” the subject and verb do not agree and the comparison is incomplete. Practise building clear sentences with a subject, verb, and complete comparison, and use accurate articles and plural forms. Shorter, controlled sentences would improve clarity before adding more complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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