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 three pie charts illustrates the percentages of food consumed by humans, there are three different types of nutrients and these all are consumed in USA.
Overall, in three pie charts the snack, breakfast, dinner and lunch are common. There are unsimilar meals like sodium, saturated fat and added sugar.
Looking at the detail, In sodium meal dinner takes major portion around 43 percent, after that lunch is 29 percent. Where snack and breakfast are same that is exactly 14 percent. On the other hand, saturated fat is the meal where dinner is around 37 percent. Lunch, snack and breakfast lies under 26, 21 and 16 percentages.
Finally, the added sugar snack is considered as the important thing and this is around 42 percent. The dinner is consumed very low compared to sodium and saturated fat that is around 23 percent. The both lunch and breakfast are at 19 and 16 percentages respectively.
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 the main features of the three charts, identifying key trends and making relevant comparisons. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For example, the student describes the data points individually rather than synthesizing the information to highlight broader patterns or significant differences. The introduction is slightly inaccurate, as it refers to the charts as 'percentages of food consumed' rather than 'percentages of nutrients in meals'. While the main features are reported, the lack of a clear overview that synthesizes the data across all three categories limits the score. The response meets the minimum length requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally awkward, such as 'Looking at the detail' and 'Finally'. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly in the second paragraph where the student refers to 'unsimilar meals' instead of 'different types of nutrients'. While the overall arrangement is coherent, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the repetitive structure of the sentences hinder the flow of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. The student uses basic terms like 'important thing' and 'major portion' repeatedly. There are also inaccuracies in word choice, such as referring to nutrients as 'meals' (e.g., 'In sodium meal dinner takes...'). The range of vocabulary is limited to the information provided in the prompt, with little attempt to use more sophisticated or academic synonyms to describe trends or proportions. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise terminology for data reporting, such as 'proportion', 'constitute', or 'account for'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Subject-verb agreement issues are common, such as 'The three pie charts illustrates' and 'lunch, snack and breakfast lies'. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are errors in sentence construction, such as the comma splice in the first sentence. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. The student should focus on basic grammatical accuracy, particularly with pluralization and verb agreement, before attempting more complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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