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 pie charts illustrates the average proportion in typical meals of sodium, saturated fat and sugar , all of which might be unhealthy of eaten too much.
Overall, in sodium and saturated fat, the dinner had largest share consumed in the USA, while breakfast consumed smallest share. On the other hand, snacks had largest percentage in Suger.
The dinner had largest proportion in sodium to around 43%, whereas it decreased slightly by 5%. The saturated fat had lunch represented second ranked to roughly 26%, while it fell slowly in sodium from 26% to 29%. However, snack and breakfast in sodium almost similar to approximately 14%, but it's increased dramatically in saturated fat to around snack from 21% and breakfast 16%.
On the other hand, the snack had largest proportion in added sugar consumed in the USA to around 42%. Second ranked represented dinner to approximately 23%, while the breakfast represented smallest share in sugar added around 16%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all three nutrients and identifies the main features, such as dinner being the highest for sodium and saturated fat, and snacks for sugar. However, the reporting of data is often inaccurate or confusing. For example, stating that dinner for sodium 'decreased slightly by 5%' is unclear, as the chart shows a static percentage, not a trend over time. Additionally, the comparison of 'saturated fat had lunch represented second ranked' is grammatically awkward and difficult to follow. To improve, ensure that data points are described precisely and avoid implying trends (like 'decreased' or 'fell') where the charts only show static proportions at a single point in time.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. There is an attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'On the other hand', and 'However'. However, the flow of ideas is frequently interrupted by awkward phrasing and unclear referencing. For instance, the transition 'while it fell slowly in sodium from 26% to 29%' is contradictory and confusing. The logical progression is hindered by these inaccuracies, making the relationship between the data points difficult to grasp. Improving the use of linking phrases and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to the correct subjects would significantly enhance the coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The range of vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'largest share', 'smallest share', and 'represented'. There are also errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'Suger' instead of 'sugar' and 'of eaten' instead of 'if eaten'. The student struggles to use precise terminology to describe statistical data, often resulting in vague or incorrect descriptions. To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate a wider variety of synonyms for 'increase', 'decrease', 'proportion', and 'percentage', and pay closer attention to spelling and accurate word collocations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('The pie charts illustrates'), missing articles ('the dinner had largest share'), and incorrect preposition use. Sentence structures are generally simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors, such as 'it's increased dramatically in saturated fat to around snack from 21%'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the placement of commas. To improve, the student needs to focus on basic sentence construction, consistent verb tense usage, and the correct application of articles and prepositions.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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