Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-13
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
Student answer (Band 5.5)
The pie charts illustrates the proportion of three type of nutrients namely sodium,saturated fats and added sugar taken during the typical meals of the day .
Overall it is clear from the charts that dinner is the dominant part in percentage of sodium and saturated fat while snacks contributed the major part in added sugar .
The major proportion of sodium is taken while dinner of about 43% followed by lunch of about 29 % where as snacks and breakfast contribute equal proportion of about 14% . On the other hand saturated fat percentage chart is also kind of similar of sodium chart . Thus dinner again is the dominant part which contributes about 37%and lunch is about 26% additionally there is. Slightly esclate in the contribution of saturated fats in snack of about 21 % and to the least 16% in breakfast.
Following that snacks attain the dominant proportion in added sugar of about 42% where as dinner contributes around 23% in contrast breakfast and lunch is about 16 % and 19% respectively.
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 covers all parts of the task by identifying the main features of the three charts. You successfully highlight the dominant nutrient sources for each meal type, such as dinner for sodium and saturated fats, and snacks for added sugars. Comparisons are made throughout, which is a key requirement. However, the analysis could be improved by grouping the data more effectively rather than listing percentages for each meal sequentially. While the main trends are clear, the report lacks a more sophisticated synthesis of the data, which would elevate the score. Overall, the response is accurate and fulfills the requirements of the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. There is a logical progression of ideas, moving from sodium to saturated fats and then to added sugars. You use some cohesive devices like 'On the other hand', 'Following that', and 'In contrast' to link ideas. However, the paragraphing is somewhat disjointed, and the transition between the discussion of sodium and saturated fats is a bit abrupt. The use of referencing could be more precise to avoid repetitive phrasing, and some sentences feel slightly mechanical in their structure.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'dominant', 'contribute', and 'respectively'. There are some minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'esclate' instead of 'escalate' and 'charts illustrates' (subject-verb agreement). While you successfully use vocabulary related to data description, the range is somewhat limited. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'contribute' or 'proportion' and ensure that collocations are used more accurately to enhance the precision of your descriptions.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('The pie charts illustrates') and punctuation errors (missing spaces after periods, such as '37%and'). Additionally, there is a sentence fragment: 'additionally there is. Slightly esclate in the contribution...'. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall fluency. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic punctuation and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed with correct grammatical markers.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.