Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-24
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 charts illustrates the information about the average ratio of meals in USA which containing three types of nutrients that might be unhealthy if taken in excess.
Overall, it is observed from the pie chart that typical meals contains sodium, saturated fat and added sugar and their proportion can be vary throughout the day according to the meal intake.
It is relevant from the charts that during breakfast sodium intake had the least ratio of 14% meanwhile saturated fat and added sugar had similar percentage of consumption. However, added sugar contained minimum usage during lunch time in contrast to saturated fat and sodium which had 26% and 29% intake respectively.
Furthermore, it is observed that the consumption of sodium and saturated fat was maximum at the time of dinner instead of added sugar which contained 23% usage. Moreover, the intake of saturated fat was 21% followed by the sodium which was of 14% then the added sugar had the consumption ratio of 42% during the time of snacks.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the charts, identifying key trends across the four meal types. However, the analysis is somewhat inconsistent. For instance, the description of the snack category contains significant inaccuracies regarding the data provided in the charts (e.g., stating added sugar was 42% when the chart shows a different value). While the overview attempts to highlight the main trends, it lacks a clear, comparative summary of the most significant differences between the nutrients. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are cited with complete accuracy and that the overview synthesizes the information rather than just listing observations.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Furthermore', and 'Moreover' are used to link ideas, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The progression of ideas is generally logical, moving from breakfast to snacks. However, the referencing is occasionally unclear, and the internal logic within the paragraph discussing snacks is confusing due to the inaccurate data reporting. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that cohesive devices are used to highlight relationships between data points rather than just listing them would enhance the coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe the charts. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'proportion', 'consumption', and 'excess'. However, there are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'average ratio of meals' and 'minimum usage', which do not accurately reflect the data. The repetition of basic terms like 'intake' and 'consumption' limits the range. To improve, focus on using more precise terminology for data reporting, such as 'proportion', 'percentage', or 'contribution', and ensure collocations are natural.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors throughout the text, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('The charts illustrates', 'typical meals contains') and awkward phrasing ('which containing three types'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to distract the reader. The use of punctuation is generally acceptable, but the sentence construction often feels clunky. To achieve a higher score, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and refining the use of relative clauses to make sentences flow more smoothly and accurately.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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