Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-06

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 compares the the intake of three nutrients in diet of consumers in the USA.Initially it be can seen that sodium is being consumed the most in dinners,however in breakfast or snacks it showed the same proportion which doesn't exceed the healthy diet limit.Furthermore people consume lunch which contained 29% of sodium , a bit beyond the health safety threshold.In contrast the saturated fats along the added sugar are also being consumed in the diet by people in USA.Like sodium consumption saturated fats also held the highest proportion of consumption.The fats are being consumed in the snacks and lunch the modest.Lastly the chart illustrates that the usage of added sugar in diet is the highest in snacks,but a bit lower than the sodium and saturated fats in dinner and lunch.Although the consumption of sugar remained steady as saturated fats in breakfast but sodium was the least to be consumed in breakfast.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the three nutrients and their distribution across meals, but the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identify some key features, the comparison between the nutrients is often unclear or inaccurate. For instance, stating that sodium consumption in breakfast and snacks 'doesn't exceed the healthy diet limit' is an interpretation not supported by the data provided in the charts. Furthermore, the description of the data is occasionally confusing, such as the claim that 'saturated fats also held the highest proportion of consumption' without specifying the meal. To improve, focus on clearly grouping the data and highlighting the most significant differences and trends rather than listing individual percentages in a way that obscures the overall picture.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into a single block of text, which makes it difficult to follow. There is a lack of clear paragraphing to separate the introduction, overview, and body details. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Furthermore', 'In contrast', and 'Lastly', their usage is sometimes mechanical or does not effectively link the ideas. The progression of information is disjointed, particularly when jumping between different nutrients and meals. To reach a higher band, ensure you use clear paragraph breaks and improve the logical flow between sentences so that the reader can easily follow your comparison of the data.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. You rely on repetitive phrasing, such as 'consumed in the diet' and 'proportion of consumption'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'the fats are being consumed in the snacks and lunch the modest'. To improve, try to use more varied and precise vocabulary to describe trends and proportions, such as 'account for', 'constitute', 'peak at', or 'a significant portion'. Expanding your range of reporting verbs and nouns will help you describe the data more naturally and accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'The pie charts compares the the intake', 'Initially it be can seen', and 'saturated fats along the added sugar are also being consumed'. You also have issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage. While you attempt some complex structures, they are often inaccurate. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically ensuring that subjects and verbs agree and that articles are used correctly. Proofreading for these fundamental errors will significantly improve the readability and accuracy of your writing.

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

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