Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-13
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 given charts illustrate the three kinds of nutrients used in various meals consumed in the United States of America (USA). These three nutrients are sodium, saturated fats , and added sugar. The first chat shows that a large quantity of sodium (43%) is used in dinner. However, the amount of sodium is same snacks and breakfasts.
On the other hand, people in the US consume saturated fat in their meals. However, in dinner, the amount of saturated fat is higher, which is 37% as compared to the other meal times.
Moving forward, the third chart depicts that the large quantity of added sugar is consumed through eating snacks.
Another notable thing is that these three nutrients are taken in large amount during the dinner time, which is unhealthy for people.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the three nutrients across typical meals, mentioning data points such as 43% for sodium at dinner and 37% for saturated fat. However, the report is severely under-length at 131 words, falling short of the 150-word minimum requirement. Furthermore, some data reporting is inaccurate or incomplete, such as stating incorrectly that the amount of sodium is the same in snacks and breakfasts without citing the actual figures, and omitting the specific percentage for added sugar in snacks. Due to the incomplete overview and the under-length penalty, it warrants a Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The text is organised into short paragraphs that correspond loosely to the different charts, such as 'The first chat shows...' and 'Moving forward, the third chart depicts...'. However, the paragraphing is underdeveloped and chaotic, with single-sentence paragraphs like 'On the other hand, people in the US consume saturated fat in their meals...' which breaks the flow of information. Cohesive devices are used mechanically and repetitively ('However', 'Moving forward'), and referencing between ideas is sometimes unclear. Overall progression lacks smoothness, placing it firmly at Band 5.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, relying on terms directly from the prompt such as 'nutrients', 'sodium', 'saturated fats', and 'added sugar'. There are noticeable spelling errors, such as 'chat' instead of 'chart'. Attempts at wider vocabulary are limited, and the student struggles with precise collocation and reporting verbs. While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey the basic topic, the limited range and repetitive nature restrict the score to Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but attempts at complexity often lead to awkward phrasing or minor grammatical slips, such as 'the amount of sodium is same snacks and breakfasts' (missing prepositions/articles). Another error includes 'the large quantity of added sugar is consumed' where an article or plural form might be needed depending on structure. Grammatical errors are frequent enough to cause some distraction, but they do not completely impede communication. This performance aligns with Band 5.0.
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.