Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-27
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 information about mean proportion in typical meals of thrice types of nutrients , all of which may be unhealthy if eaten too much is demonstrated by tabular charts.
Overall, it is crystal clear that the highest ratio of sodium consumed in dinner. However, least was in snack.
To begin with, 43% of sodium utilized in the form of dinner, which was highest. Whereas, 14% consumed at dinner which could be considered as least figure. In addition, the similar percentage of saturated fat and added sugar at breakfast near by 16%. Interesting fact that, the ratio of sodium consumed at lunch was 29%, which was 15% more than breakfast.
Moving towards the rest of information, the proportion of saturated fat consumed at snack and lunch, added sugar at dinner ranged between 21% and 26%.Eventually, saturated fat at dinner, added sugar at snack and lunch were 42%, 37% and 19%, respectivelly.
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 the main features of the charts, identifying the highest and lowest values for the nutrients. However, the analysis is somewhat disjointed and lacks a clear, cohesive overview. While the prompt asks for a summary, the student lists data points rather than synthesising the information effectively. There are also inaccuracies in the data reporting; for instance, the student states 14% for dinner as the 'least figure' for sodium, but the chart shows 14% for snacks. This misinterpretation of the data significantly impacts the accuracy of the task completion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is weak. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'Moving towards the rest of information' and 'Eventually', which do not fit the context of reporting data. Referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the three nutrients. The progression of ideas is not smooth, and the transition between sentences feels forced rather than natural.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The range of vocabulary is limited and repetitive. The student uses basic terms like 'highest ratio', 'least figure', and 'similar percentage'. There are also awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'thrice types of nutrients' (instead of 'three types') and 'utilized in the form of dinner'. Spelling errors, such as 'respectivelly', also detract from the overall quality. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey basic meaning but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but these are frequently marred by grammatical errors. There are issues with subject-verb agreement and missing articles, such as 'highest ratio of sodium consumed in dinner' (missing 'is') and 'near by 16%' (incorrect preposition). Sentence construction is often fragmented, and the lack of proper punctuation and verb usage makes some sentences difficult to parse. The frequency of these errors is high enough to cause some difficulty for the reader.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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