Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-02
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 chart illustrates the average percentages in typical snack, breakfast, lunch and dinner meals of three types of nutrients are sodium, saturated fat and added sugar.
overall, sodium was highest in the dinner meals and least in snacks and breakfast meals, similarly saturated fat highest measure in dinner meals and lowest in breakfast meals in contrast sugar was highest in snacks and lowest in breakfast meals.
sodium will highest measure in dinner meals it was 43%, in snacks and breakfast it was by 14% it measures by 29% in lunch then saturated fat also contain highest in dinner meals by 37% and lowest in breakfast meals by 21% and in lunch meals it was measured by 26%
In contrast sugar was measures highest in snacks by 42% and in breakfast it was measures lowest by 16% and in lunch meals it measures by 19% and in dinner meals it measures by 23%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the main features and making relevant comparisons. You successfully highlighted the key trends for sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars across the four meal types. However, the report is somewhat mechanical and lacks a more sophisticated synthesis of the data. While you correctly identified the highest and lowest points, the analysis could be improved by grouping the information more effectively rather than listing figures for each category sequentially. The overview is present but could be more clearly integrated to provide a stronger summary of the overall trends.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and repetitive. You rely heavily on simple conjunctions like 'and' and 'but', and the transition between sentences is often abrupt. For example, the second paragraph starts with 'overall', but the flow within the paragraph is disjointed. To improve, you should use a wider range of linking words and phrases such as 'In terms of', 'Conversely', or 'Regarding', and ensure that your sentences are connected more fluidly to create a logical progression of ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You frequently repeat words like 'highest', 'lowest', 'meals', and 'measures'. There is little evidence of less common lexical items or collocations that would demonstrate a higher level of proficiency. For instance, instead of repeating 'measures', you could use 'accounted for', 'constituted', or 'represented'. The phrasing is functional but basic, which limits your ability to convey the information with the nuance expected at higher band levels. Expanding your vocabulary to include more descriptive verbs and nouns related to data reporting is essential.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly regarding verb tense and subject-verb agreement. For example, you wrote 'sodium will highest measure' instead of 'sodium was highest' and 'sugar was measures' instead of 'sugar was measured'. Additionally, many sentences are run-on or lack proper punctuation, such as the second paragraph which is essentially one long, poorly punctuated sentence. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence structure and verb forms prevents the response from reaching a higher band. You need to focus on consistent tense usage and sentence boundary control.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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