Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-01
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 pie chart illustrates the percentage of unhealthy nutrients added in typical foods and if any individual eat food surplus than it considered harmful for them.
Overall, sodium and saturated water are mostly added in dinner like 43% and 37% and individual use less sodium and saturated fat is in breakfast like 14% and 16%. Whereas individuals use sugar mostly in snacks such as 42% and people use less sugar in breakfast such as 16%.
To begin with, sodium was highly use in dinner at percentage of 43%. The second most usage of it, was in lunch at 29% while snacks and breakfast are also make by using sodium but in less amount such as 14%. Second most famous and harmful nutrient is saturated fat dinner contains highest amount of saturated fat at 37% and second highest amount is noticed in lunch at 26%. While snacks and breakfast also contains saturated fat but in slighter amount such as 21% and 16%.
While sugar is completely different from others the highest amount of sugar is noticed in snacks at 42% and dinner is the second highest substance which contains sugar at 23%. While sugar is also added in lunch and breakfast but in slighter amount such as 16% and 19%
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the main features of the three nutrients across the four meal types. You have successfully highlighted the key trends, such as the high sodium and saturated fat content in dinner and the high sugar content in snacks. However, the overview is slightly weak; it repeats specific data points rather than synthesising the information into a broader trend. To improve, focus on identifying the most significant differences or patterns across the categories rather than listing percentages in the introduction. The introductory sentence is also slightly awkward and could be more concise.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. You use some cohesive devices like 'To begin with' and 'While', but the flow is occasionally mechanical. Some transitions feel repetitive, and the referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the final paragraph where the comparison between sugar and other nutrients is slightly confusing. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the overall progression of your ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'nutrients', 'saturated fat', and 'percentage'. However, there are several instances of word-choice errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'saturated water' (instead of fat) and 'slighter amount' (instead of 'smaller' or 'lower'). Additionally, phrases like 'second most famous' are inappropriate for describing nutritional data. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing when describing trends and quantities.
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. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('individual eat', 'breakfast are also make'), incorrect verb tenses, and missing articles. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. You should focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and ensuring that your sentence structures are grammatically sound.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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