Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-06
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 illustrate the proportions of sodium, saturated fat and added sugar in typical meals consumed in the USA.
Overall, dinner had the highest proportion of most of these unhealthy nutrients while breakfast had the lowest. The type of nutrient's percentage also depends upon type of meal. Most USA snacks were sugary while dinner contain more salt and oil than other meals.
For sodium, dinner took the highest proportion with at 43%, with lunch coming at second with 29%. Breakfast and snacks both consumed only 14%.
In terms of saturated fat, dinner again stood first with 37%. It is followed by lunch with 26% and snack with 21%. Breakfast was at the lowest with only 16%.
Added sugar showed a different pattern than other type of the nutrients. Snacks came on top with 42% while dinner came second with 23%. This was followed by lunch with 19%. Breakfast again came at last with only 16%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response successfully covers all requirements of the task. You have identified the main features of the data and provided relevant comparisons between the three nutrients and the four meal types. The overview is clear and highlights the key trends, such as dinner being the most significant source of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks dominate in added sugar. The data is accurately reported, and the structure allows for easy comparison. To reach a higher band, ensure that you avoid minor inaccuracies in data reporting, such as stating 'dinner contain' (plural/singular agreement) or 'snacks came on top', which slightly affects the precision of your reporting.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for each nutrient. This structure makes the information easy to follow. You use cohesive devices such as 'In terms of', 'followed by', and 'while' to link ideas effectively. However, the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs could be smoother. Additionally, some sentences are slightly repetitive in their structure (e.g., 'Breakfast was at the lowest', 'Breakfast again came at last'). Using a wider variety of linking phrases would improve the flow and help the response move from a Band 6 to a Band 7.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportions', 'nutrients', and 'consumed' correctly. However, the vocabulary is somewhat basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'came on top' or 'stood first' are slightly informal for an Academic Task 1 report. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations such as 'accounted for', 'constituted', or 'represented the highest proportion'. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'type of nutrient's percentage', which sounds slightly unnatural. Expanding your range of descriptive verbs and nouns will help you achieve a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips that prevent a higher score. For example, 'dinner contain' should be 'dinner contains', and 'different pattern than other type of the nutrients' is awkward and contains article errors. Additionally, 'dinner took the highest proportion with at 43%' contains a redundant preposition. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to suggest that your control over complex structures is not yet consistent. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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