Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-07
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 that the specifical meals contain three different nutrients. These meals become unhealthy if you intake too much. Overall, it is evident that sodium and saturated fat is present in large quantity in dinner meal.
The sodium figures in snack and breakfast is gradually same. However, the lunch value is double of sodium breakfast. In contrast, dinner have the highest figure in sodium. The snack amount in saturated fat is high than sodium snack. The breakfast figure is approximately same in both nutrients.
Furthermore,
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 fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, as it is only 87 words long. Consequently, the task is not fully addressed. The summary is incomplete, as the text cuts off abruptly after the introduction and a brief mention of sodium and saturated fat. There is no mention of added sugars, and the data analysis is extremely limited. To improve, you must ensure you cover all categories (sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars) and provide a comprehensive overview of the trends across all four meal types (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks) to meet the length and content requirements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is too short to demonstrate effective paragraphing or a logical progression of ideas. While there is an attempt at an introduction and a body paragraph, the text ends mid-sentence, which severely disrupts the flow. Cohesive devices such as 'However' and 'In contrast' are used, but they are not sufficient to create a coherent report due to the lack of developed content. To improve, you should structure your response with a clear introduction, an overview of the main trends, and two distinct body paragraphs that group data logically.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'specifical meals' (incorrect usage of 'specific') and 'figures in snack and breakfast is gradually same' (incorrect collocation) indicate a limited range. The word 'figure' is used repeatedly, which makes the writing monotonous. To achieve a higher band, you should use more precise vocabulary related to data description, such as 'proportion,' 'constitute,' 'account for,' and 'surpass,' and ensure you use adjectives and adverbs to describe the trends accurately.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors that affect the clarity of the writing. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues, such as 'sodium and saturated fat is present' (should be 'are') and 'dinner have the highest figure' (should be 'has'). Additionally, the phrasing 'is gradually same' is grammatically incorrect; 'is roughly the same' would be more appropriate. The sentence structures are simple and lack the complexity required for higher bands. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and using a wider variety of sentence structures will help improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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