Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-28
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 5.0)
The chart below show the average percentages in typical meals of three of nutrients, all of which may be unhealthy if eaten too much.
Overall, it is clear that sodium in dinner had the highest number of percent while snack and breakfast had the lowest number of nutrients. In addition, there was a significant difference between the most and least popular nutrients.
Looking at the first chart, sodium show had different meals while dinner had 43 percent nutrients. It fellowed by lunch with 29 percent. Similarly, snack and breakfast show same values had only 14 percent which was slightly lower than lunch.
In the second chart, saturated fat had show different meals while dinner accounted had 37 percent and lunch 26 percent is represented. In comparison, breakfast had only 16 percent of nutrients which was higher than with breakfast. Overall, lunch was most popular eaten while breakfast was most common eaten.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to summarize the charts but fails to provide a clear or accurate overview. While it identifies some data points, the reporting is inconsistent and contains factual errors, such as claiming snack and breakfast have the same values for sodium when the charts show otherwise. The description of the data is often confusing, and the attempt to compare the nutrients is hampered by inaccurate data interpretation. To improve, you must ensure that the information selected is factually correct and that the main features—such as the dominance of dinner across all categories—are highlighted clearly rather than listing individual percentages in a repetitive manner.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow is weak. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused, such as 'It fellowed by' and 'In comparison... which was higher than with breakfast.' The referencing is frequently unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the different meals. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs lacks a clear progression of ideas. To reach a higher band, focus on using transition signals more naturally and ensuring that each sentence clearly relates to the previous one to build a coherent argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'number,' 'show,' and 'popular.' There are several instances of incorrect word choice, such as 'most popular eaten' and 'most common eaten,' which are not appropriate collocations for describing data. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to convey precise comparisons or trends. To improve, you should learn specific academic vocabulary for describing charts, such as 'accounted for,' 'constituted,' 'a significant proportion,' or 'the highest percentage,' and practice using these in the correct context to avoid awkward phrasing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement ('sodium show had,' 'dinner accounted had'), tense usage, and sentence structure. Many sentences are fragmented or poorly constructed, such as 'Similarly, snack and breakfast show same values had only 14 percent.' The range of structures is very limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences with errors. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically ensuring that subjects and verbs agree and that verbs are used in the correct tense when describing static data.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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