Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-09
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)
Below given three pie charts are compare and contrasts the average data of four category in percentage meals consumed in the USA.
Of the three diagrams data given summarize the average percentages of sodium,saturated fat and added sugars in four meals in a day that is breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in percentage.
The percentage of sodium in dinner consumed more which is 43% when consumed in dinner,saturated fat are less compared to sodium 37% in dinner, and added sugar are 23% in dinner. On the other hand, sodium consumption in lunch is 29% and saturated fat is 26% in lunch and added sugars utilizes are 19% in lunch were not considered as healthy nutrition which deforms the health.
Furthermore consumption of sodium in 14% of snacks and similar ratio of in breakfast too, saturated fats are around 21% in snacks were as breakfast around 16%; added sugars percentage is very high that is 42% in snacks and in breakfast 16% which is unhealthy to human body.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response identifies the main features of the charts, such as the high sodium in dinner and high added sugars in snacks. However, the overview is weak and lacks a clear summary of the overall trends. The data reporting is sometimes inaccurate or confusing, such as the claim that there are 'four categories' when there are three nutrients, and the description of the meals is slightly muddled. While the key information is present, the lack of a clear, cohesive summary and some inaccuracies in data interpretation prevent a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the logical flow is hampered by awkward phrasing and repetitive sentence structures. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Furthermore' and 'On the other hand', but they are sometimes applied mechanically or incorrectly. The progression of ideas is not always smooth, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the different meals and nutrients. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when discussing the percentages.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'consumed', 'percentage', and 'data'. There are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'added sugars utilizes' and 'deforms the health'. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Spelling is generally accurate, but the lack of variety in word choice is a significant constraint.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('sodium... consumed more'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward sentence construction ('Below given three pie charts are compare and contrasts'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, which occasionally impedes the flow of the text. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar limits the score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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