Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-26
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 pie charts illustrates the average percentages of four different meals in three types of nutrients available, all of meals unhealthy if eaten too much.
Overall, In dinner, the highest percentage of sodium and saturated fat available while, snack consumed highest percentage of sugar and other consumed average percentage.
In dinner, sodium and saturated fat consumed 43% and 37% while, sugar consumed only 23%. In addition, snack consumed 14% of sodium and saturated fat 21% while, sugar consumed highest percentage at 42%.
In breakfast, sodium consumed 14% overall while, saturated fat and sugar consumed 16% overall in breakfast.In addition
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 fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the ability to fully address the task. While the student attempts to identify some main features, the analysis is incomplete and stops abruptly mid-sentence. The overview is present but lacks the depth required to fully summarise the data. Because the response is only 99 words, it is impossible to provide a comprehensive comparison of the nutrient percentages across all meal types. To improve, the student must ensure all data points are covered and the response reaches the required length to allow for a full development of the information provided in the charts.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response shows some attempt at logical organization by grouping information by meal type. However, the progression is interrupted by the incomplete nature of the text. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition' and 'while' are used, but they are often repetitive or mechanically applied. Paragraphing is attempted, but the final paragraph is unfinished, which disrupts the overall flow. To achieve a higher score, the student should focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph is fully developed with a clear conclusion or summary statement.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive, relying heavily on the words provided in the prompt (e.g., 'sodium', 'saturated fat', 'sugar'). There is little evidence of a range of vocabulary that would allow for precise description of the data. Phrases like 'consumed highest percentage' are used repeatedly, which limits the lexical variety. To improve, the student should aim to use synonyms and more sophisticated reporting verbs or adjectives to describe the trends, such as 'accounted for', 'constituted', or 'a significant proportion'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains several grammatical errors, particularly regarding subject-verb agreement and article usage (e.g., 'The pie charts illustrates' instead of 'illustrate'). Sentence structures are generally simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. The punctuation is also inconsistent, with some sentences ending abruptly or missing necessary commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of errors is noticeable and impacts the overall quality of the writing. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would be a beneficial first step.
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