Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-17

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 given pie charts display the average proportion of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar in four types of regular meals.

Overall, the charts are simple and clear. Breakfast contains lowest percentages of all three.

For the sodium, it is found largest in dinner and lowest in breakfast, and snack. Morning meal and snack usually contains only 14% sodium. Lunch hits more and reaches 29%. In the end, dinner brings up the largest value of 43%.

For the saturated fat, it has different values for each. It starts at 16% in breakfast, and ends at 37% in dinner. It has values of 21%, and 26% for snack and lunch respectively.

For the last chart, added sugar contributes biggest in snack at 42%. It has similarity in value for breakfast with saturated fat. It stands at 19% in lunch and 23% in dinner.

In conclusion, these values varies in different times of intaking food because of variety of food eaten.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the charts and provided relevant comparisons. You covered all three nutrients and the four meal types. However, the response lacks a clear overview that synthesizes the data effectively; the second paragraph is too brief and does not highlight the most significant trends. To improve, ensure your overview identifies the most striking differences, such as dinner being the highest in sodium and saturated fat, while snacks are highest in added sugar. The reporting of data is accurate, but the analysis could be more sophisticated by grouping the meals or nutrients more effectively rather than listing them individually.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For instance, you frequently start sentences with 'For the...' or 'It has...'. To achieve a higher band, you should use a wider variety of linking words and transition phrases to connect your ideas more fluidly. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear; for example, in the final paragraph, 'these values varies' is vague, and the conclusion does not effectively summarize the main trends presented in the body paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. You rely on basic descriptors like 'largest', 'lowest', and 'biggest'. Using more academic synonyms would enhance your writing. There are also some minor collocation issues, such as 'intaking food' and 'contributes biggest', which sound unnatural. To improve, focus on using more precise terminology for describing data trends, such as 'account for', 'peak at', or 'constitute', and ensure you are using adjectives and adverbs correctly to describe the proportions shown in the charts.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('these values varies', 'snack usually contains') and missing articles ('For the sodium', 'in breakfast'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning, they are frequent enough to limit your score. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Try to incorporate more complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses or participial phrases, to demonstrate greater control over your grammar.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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