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

IELTS Writing

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The following pie charts demonstrate the break down of there type of nutrients sodium, saturated fat and sugar. The pie chart illustrates that if we eat them in exces then they will be harmful for us due to the fact that they are unhealthy.

Overall, both sodium and saturated fat are higher at dinner while sugar in snaks. While lunch is same on the both factors that are sadium and saturated fat.

Initially, in sodium both snaks and breakfastfactors are equall while the percentage of lunch is 29. Placing a sight on the saturated fat, snaks and lunch are about same while the breakfast is lowest which is almost 16 percent.

Lastly, put a glance on sugar. It has main factor in snaks. The percentage of suger in the dinner is quatar which is almost 23 percent of the pie chart. Breakfast and lunch do not contain that much sugar which is at least 16 and 19 percent of the whole.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad pattern that sodium and saturated fat peak at dinner, while added sugar is highest in snacks, and you include several relevant figures. However, important details are missing or inaccurate: sodium at dinner (43%) is not reported, and the claim that lunch is the same for sodium and saturated fat is incorrect (29% versus 26%). The statement that snacks and lunch are “about same” for saturated fat also overlooks their difference (21% and 26%), while breakfast is correctly identified as the lowest at 16%. Your overview is present but limited, and the charts are not compared consistently. To strengthen the response, select the main contrasts accurately and report the key peak and low values for each nutrient.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details about sodium, saturated fat and sugar. This gives the reader some sense of organisation. However, progression is uneven: the second paragraph combines two overview points, and the next paragraph shifts between sodium and saturated fat without clearly separating their comparisons. Linking phrases such as “Initially” and “Lastly” signal sequence, but they do not always clarify how the data relate. The final paragraph is more focused on added sugar, although its comparison could be more systematically ordered. Use one overview paragraph followed by clearly organised detail paragraphs, and connect figures with explicit comparisons such as “by contrast” or “whereas.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant terms, including “percentage,” “pie chart,” “saturated fat” and “breakfast,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and several spelling and word-choice errors make the account less clear, including “break down,” “snaks,” “sadium,” “suger” and “quatar.” Phrases such as “put a glance on” and “main factor in snaks” are not natural ways to describe chart data. Aim for precise reporting language and check spelling carefully. For example, use “accounts for” or “represents” when giving a share, and “highest proportion” rather than “main factor.” This would make the comparisons clearer and more appropriate to an academic report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the opening clause “if we eat them in excess then they will be harmful” and the contrast beginning “While lunch…”. However, control is inconsistent, and some sentence structures are incomplete or awkward. “While lunch is same on the both factors” lacks a clear grammatical construction, and “Initially, in sodium both…” is difficult to parse. Articles and agreement also need attention, as in “the breakfast is lowest” and “both snaks and breakfastfactors are equall.” Several sentences rely on fragments or compressed phrasing rather than complete, clearly controlled comparisons. Practise writing direct sentences with a subject and verb, and use accurate comparative structures, such as “Dinner accounts for the largest share of sodium.”

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