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 charts depict the average percentages in a regular meals of three different sorts of nutrients.
Overall, among all given type of nutrients, the maximum percentages of sodium and saturated fat comes from dinner. While, in added sugar, snacks tops the list.
To begin with Sodium, dinner accounts for the largest proportion of nutrients 43%. Which is followed by lunch at 29%. The rest of 28% sodium has divided in to 2 meals, snacks and breakfast. For saturated fat, dinner also accounts for the largest share which is 37% and as same as sodium, it followed by lunch 26%. Snacks and breakfast represents minimal percentages 21% and 16% respectively.
For added sugar, the largest shareholder is snacks with 42%. Dinner is the second highest contributor of sugar for human which is 23%. However, lunch and breakfast splits almost similar percentage of added sugar. which is 19% and 16% respectively.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response successfully identifies the main features of the charts, such as the dominance of dinner for sodium and saturated fats, and snacks for added sugar. You have made relevant comparisons between the categories. However, the report could be improved by including a more comprehensive overview that synthesizes the data more effectively rather than just listing the highest values. Some data points are presented accurately, but the analysis lacks a deeper level of comparison between the three nutrient types, which would help in achieving a higher band score. Overall, the task is addressed clearly and all parts are covered.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is logically organized into paragraphs, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs for each nutrient type. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'To begin with' and 'However', to guide the reader. However, there are some mechanical issues with cohesion, such as the sentence fragment 'Which is followed by lunch at 29%' and the awkward phrasing 'The rest of 28% sodium has divided in to 2 meals'. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that cohesive devices are used more naturally would enhance the overall coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'contributor', and 'minimal'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'largest shareholder' (which is more appropriate for finance than data analysis) and 'sorts of nutrients'. Additionally, there are minor errors in phrasing, such as 'regular meals' instead of 'regular meals' or 'a regular meal'. To reach a higher band, try to use more precise academic vocabulary and ensure that collocations are natural and contextually appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('snacks tops the list', '28% sodium has divided') and punctuation errors, such as starting sentences with 'Which' or 'However' followed by fragments. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on sentence construction, particularly avoiding sentence fragments and ensuring correct verb forms, will significantly improve your grammatical accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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