Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-05
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 charts illustrate the average proportions of three types of nutrients such as sodium,saturated facts and added suger in four typical meals consumed in USA
overall,a similar pattern is seen in sodium and saturated fats . Noticably,the maximum amount of sodium and saturated fats are consumed during dinners in america, whereas the maximum proportion of added sugar is eaten in snackss.
In detail,the highest percentage of sodium is consumed in dinner, with the figure of 43%, followed by lunch with 29%,whilst a same proportion of sodium is eaten through snacks and
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which severely impacts the task achievement score. Because the essay is incomplete and cuts off mid-sentence, it fails to provide a full overview or report all the necessary data points. While you attempted to identify main features, such as the high sodium in dinners and high sugar in snacks, the lack of completion means the task is only partially addressed. To improve, you must ensure you cover all categories (sodium, fats, sugars) and all meal types (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks) fully, while providing a clear summary of the data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay lacks a clear structure due to its unfinished state. While there is an attempt at an introduction and an overview, the body paragraphs are not fully developed. Cohesive devices are used in a basic way, such as 'In detail' and 'whereas', but the flow is interrupted by the abrupt ending. To reach a higher band, you need to organize your ideas into distinct, complete paragraphs and ensure that the progression of information is logical and easy to follow from the introduction to the conclusion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using terms like 'proportions', 'nutrients', and 'consumed'. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'saturated facts' (instead of fats), 'suger' (instead of sugar), and 'snackss'. These errors, combined with the limited range of vocabulary due to the short length, restrict the score. To improve, focus on accurate spelling of key terms and try to incorporate a wider range of synonyms to describe data trends, such as 'account for', 'constitute', or 'a significant portion'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are several grammatical issues, including missing articles ('in USA' should be 'in the USA') and punctuation errors, such as missing spaces after commas. The sentence structures are relatively simple, and the unfinished nature of the text prevents the demonstration of a wider range of complex structures. To improve, ensure you use articles correctly, check your punctuation (always include a space after a comma), and practice combining simple sentences into more complex, compound-complex structures to demonstrate grammatical control.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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