Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-20

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 three charts illustrates the how much percentage of three nutrients Sodium, saturated fats and added sugar consumed in the typical meals in the USA.

When comparing the all three charts, it can be seen that dinner is the heavy meal where almost all three nutrients are taken in the highest amount. 43% sodium and 37% saturated fat involved in the dinner and 23% sugar is there which is the only one nutrient lesser than any other meal. Remaining three meals have different proportion of nutrients. Sodium is almost in similar percentage in snacks and breakfast, which is 14%. When it come to saturated fats, almost similar percentage are there in snacks and lunch. While highest sugar percentage found in the snacks, which are 42%. and lowest in the breakfast, which is 16%.

Overall, these are the average percentage consumed by the individual in USA. but excessive amount of any nutrients are unhealthy.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the charts, identifying dinner as the most significant meal for sodium and saturated fats. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you mention the percentages, the comparison between categories could be more analytical. For instance, you note that sugar is lowest in dinner, but you miss the opportunity to contrast this with the high sugar content in snacks (42%). The overview is present but lacks a clear synthesis of the data trends, and the final sentence about health is extraneous as it does not relate to the data provided in the charts.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into three paragraphs, which is appropriate. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical. For example, the transition 'When comparing the all three charts' is slightly awkward, and the use of cohesive devices is limited. The paragraphing is logical, but the internal structure of the second paragraph could be improved by grouping the nutrients more effectively rather than jumping between them. Referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression of ideas feels a bit disjointed due to the lack of varied linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely heavily on basic terms like 'heavy meal', 'amount', and 'percentage'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'the given three charts illustrates' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'involved in the dinner'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise academic vocabulary, such as 'proportion', 'constitute', 'account for', or 'predominant', rather than repeating 'percentage' and 'amount' throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include 'The given three charts illustrates' (subject-verb agreement), 'the all three charts' (article usage), and 'When it come to' (verb form). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of full stops in the middle of sentences (e.g., '42%. and lowest'). While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band.

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

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