Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The pie chart illustrates the average proportion of sodium, saturated fats and added sugars in typical meals consumed in the United States, which can be considered unhealthy if eaten too much.

Overall, dinner is one meal where large amount of nutrients are consumed, while breakfast being the least amount of nutrients eaten. While, lunch has almost equal postions compared to snacks having highest proportion of added sugar.

Sodium and satured fat consumed in dinner has accouned for highest at 43% whereas, in breakfeast is at 14% and 21 in lunch it is consumed half of dinner at 29%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, significantly impacting the task achievement score. Because the response is only 98 words, the analysis is incomplete and lacks the necessary depth to cover all features of the charts. While the introduction identifies the topic, the body paragraphs are underdeveloped and fail to provide a comprehensive summary or sufficient comparisons. The data reporting is fragmented, and the conclusion is entirely missing. To improve, you must ensure you describe all categories (sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars) across all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks) to provide a full overview of the data provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response shows some attempt at logical organization, but the lack of length prevents a clear progression of ideas. Paragraphing is present but ineffective due to the brevity of the content. Cohesive devices are used in a limited and sometimes mechanical way, such as 'While' and 'whereas', but the connections between sentences are often weak. The flow is interrupted by the incomplete nature of the data presentation. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus and that you use a wider range of linking words to connect your comparisons smoothly throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. There are several errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'satured' instead of 'saturated', 'breakfeast' instead of 'breakfast', and 'accouned' instead of 'accounted'. These errors, combined with the limited range of vocabulary, restrict the ability to convey information with precision. To improve, focus on using more varied and accurate terminology related to data description, such as 'constitute', 'account for', 'represent', or 'comprise', and ensure you proofread carefully to avoid simple spelling mistakes that detract from your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that impede clarity. Examples include 'dinner is one meal where large amount of nutrients are consumed' (missing article 'a') and 'breakfast being the least amount' (incorrect verb form). The sentence structure is often awkward, such as 'in breakfeast is at 14% and 21 in lunch it is consumed half of dinner at 29%'. These errors are frequent and occasionally make the meaning difficult to follow. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, 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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