Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-14
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 amount of percentages in different meals of different nutrients, also tell us about which one is most bad for our health if consume in wide amount.
The overlook tells us about three pie charts which includes sodium and saturated fats and some added sugars based on the average on typical average type of meals consumed in the USA.
In America the sodium is mostly consumed by Americans in dinner. it is due to heavy amount of meal at dinner and the value is 43%. In lunch they consume about 29% sodium and durimg breakfast and snack the value is same about 14%.
Saturated fat is mostly consume in dinner about 37% and in lunch the value is 26%. The snack percentage is at 21% and breakfast is about 16%.
Added sugar is mostly consumed in snacks about 42%. The breakfast value is at 16% and added sugars in lunch is about 19% and in dinner it is 23%. Added sugar is most unhealthy in this whole case.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response attempts to summarise the main features of the charts regarding sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars in typical US meals. However, the task achievement is hindered by informal and imprecise language in the introduction, such as 'most bad for our health' and 'wide amount'. While the student manages to report specific data points for each nutrient across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, the comparisons are somewhat basic. The overview paragraph is overly colloquial ('The overlook tells us...'). To achieve a higher band score, the writer needs to provide a more sophisticated overview highlighting the broader trends, such as which meals dominate for each nutrient, rather than just listing percentages sequentially.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The text is organised into five distinct paragraphs, attempting an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs for each nutrient. However, the logical progression is weak. The overview is poorly integrated and uses awkward phrasing like 'The overlook tells us'. Furthermore, cohesive devices are minimal and repetitive. Sentences within paragraphs often feel disconnected, relying on repetitive subject choices (e.g., 'In America...', 'Saturated fat is...'). Paragraphing is visually present, but the internal cohesion lacks fluidity. To improve, the writer should use a wider variety of cohesive devices (e.g., 'In contrast', 'Furthermore') and ensure a smoother flow of ideas between sentences.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is quite basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'most bad for our health', 'wide amount', and 'heavy amount of meal' demonstrate a limited lexical range and poor collocation. There are noticeable errors in word formation and choice, such as 'consume' instead of 'consumed' in passive structures ('if consume in wide amount', 'is mostly consume'). While the student uses topic-specific vocabulary related to food and nutrients ('sodium', 'saturated fats', 'added sugars', 'breakfast', 'lunch', 'dinner', 'snacks'), the lack of precision and frequent lexical inaccuracies constrain the score to this level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but accuracy is low. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb forms and voice (e.g., 'if consume in wide amount', 'is mostly consume in dinner', 'durimg breakfast'). Preposition use is also occasionally flawed ('in snacks' vs 'at snacks'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, with basic sentence boundaries marked, but grammatical slips occur in almost every sentence, directly impacting readability. To progress, the student must focus on accurate subject-verb agreement, correct passive voice constructions, and precise prepositional usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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