Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · 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 4.0)

This chart describe the average percentages in typical meal of three type of nutrients, all of which may be unhealthy if eaten to much. it shows the average percentages of sodium, saturated fats and added sugars in typical meal consumed in the USA.

Overall the saturated fat is more basic in food and highly consumed in USA. it is usually have its high range in food.

the sodium consumed 14% in breakfast and about to 43% in dinner on the other hand the added sugar consumed least. it have high amount in dinner. Saturated fat have high rate in lunch. The high amount of sodium on dinner can make the food unhealthy. The saturated fat consumed most in lunch time. in term of added sugar the values are different

in breakfast. Snacks make the majority in dinner time up to 42 lunch and dinner make similar amount of consuming. The added sugar have high range in snacks.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response attempts to address the prompt but fails to provide a clear or accurate summary of the data. While it mentions the three nutrients, the description of the trends is confusing and often inaccurate (e.g., stating sodium is 43% in dinner when the chart shows a different figure). The report lacks a clear overview, and the information is presented in a disjointed manner that makes it difficult for the reader to understand the key features of the charts. The data is not effectively selected or compared, leading to a failure to highlight the main trends across the four meal categories.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The essay lacks logical organization and progression. There is no clear paragraph structure, and the sentences are linked in a mechanical and often confusing way. The use of cohesive devices is very limited and frequently misused, such as the abrupt transition 'in term of added sugar' and the repetitive use of 'in dinner' or 'in lunch'. The lack of clear referencing makes it difficult to follow the writer's argument, and the overall arrangement of information is disjointed, which significantly hinders the flow of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary is very basic and repetitive, relying on a limited range of words such as 'consumed', 'high', and 'amount'. There are frequent errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'more basic in food' and 'about to 43%'. The student struggles to use precise terminology to describe the data, and the lack of variety in vocabulary prevents the expression of more complex ideas. The errors in word form and usage are frequent and occasionally make the intended meaning unclear.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede communication. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'This chart describe', 'it is usually have'), article usage, and sentence structure. The text relies almost entirely on simple sentences, and attempts at more complex structures are often faulty or incomplete. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing capital letters at the start of sentences and improper spacing. These persistent errors demonstrate a lack of control over basic grammatical rules.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.