Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-24
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 provides information of the average percentages of typical of different nutrient meals of which might be unhealthy of eaten much .
The unit of measurement is percentage
Overall the meal consumed in U.S.A in snacks was 14% in sodium ,slightly increased to 10% in saturated fat and highly increased by 20% in added sugar .Breakfast consumed was relatively low.lunch had same percentage in both sodium and saturated fat but slightly decreased in added sugar.dinner was relatively high both in sodium and saturated fat and decreased by 10% in dinner .
Snacks was 14% sodium but increased by 10% in saturated fats and drastically increased to 42% in added sugar.Breakfast was relatively low 14% in sodium,16% in saturated fat and same with added sugar
Lunch was 29% in sodium slight decrease by 3% in saturated fat and low in added sugar.
Dinner is high in sodium by 43% decreased by 5% in saturated fat and reduced in added sugar .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response attempts to address the prompt but fails to provide a clear or accurate summary of the data. The description of the charts is confusing, and the figures cited are often inconsistent or mathematically incorrect based on the provided visual information. For example, the text claims snacks had 14% sodium and 42% added sugar, but the narrative flow is disjointed, making it difficult to follow the comparison. The overview is weak and lacks a clear synthesis of the main trends. To improve, focus on identifying the most significant peaks and troughs rather than listing every data point, and ensure the data reported matches the charts accurately.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the logical progression is poor. The information is presented in a repetitive and fragmented manner, particularly in the second and third paragraphs where data points are listed without clear transitions or thematic grouping. Cohesive devices are largely absent or used incorrectly, such as the repetitive use of 'increased by' or 'decreased by' without clear reference to the actual changes. The lack of a cohesive structure makes the response difficult to follow, and the relationship between the different meals and nutrients is not clearly established.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. The student relies heavily on basic terms like 'increased', 'decreased', and 'low'. There are frequent errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'information of the average percentages' instead of 'information on' and 'typical of different nutrient meals'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate precision or flexibility, which is necessary for describing data trends effectively. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate a wider variety of verbs and adverbs to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', 'remained stable', or 'marginal'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'Snacks was 14%'), missing articles, and awkward sentence structures. The punctuation is also inconsistent, with irregular spacing and capitalization issues. While the student attempts to use some complex structures, they are often faulty or poorly constructed. The majority of sentences contain errors, which prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would significantly improve the quality of the writing.
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