Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-17
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 chart illustrates the average ratio of meals and their typical nutrients, if we have them in excessive amount that would be so unhealthy for us.
Our meals has different nutrients in it for example sodium, saturated fat and sugar, which is good for our health in some portion but if we consume it too much that is not good for our body.
In United States of America people usually take the exact amount of sodium in their breakfast and lunch that is 14%. However, dinner got the highest percentage of sodium and fat with the mean of approximately 40% while the people in USA have only 29% of sodium in their lunch meal.
On the other hand, the data shows the same ratio of fat and sugar in their breakfast.
Meanwhile, they consume too much added sugar through their snacks 42%. Theis is small amount of sugar people are having in their lunch.
Consumers of fat in dinner is 37% which is not good for their cardiac health as well. Our body needs some proportion of nutrients to make us healthy, if we start taking too much of that required portion that could be dangerous for us.
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 attempts to cover the main features of the chart, noting that dinner is highest in sodium and fat, while snacks are highest in added sugar. However, there are significant factual inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, the student states that people in the USA take 'the exact amount of sodium in their breakfast and lunch that is 14%', whereas the data shows breakfast at 14% and lunch at 29% (snacks are 14%). Furthermore, the statement that dinner has a mean of approximately 40% for sodium and fat is imprecise, and several figures are misread or misattributed. The response also includes irrelevant personal commentary on health implications rather than focusing purely on data summary. This corresponds to Band 5.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay lacks proper paragraphing, being presented as a single fragmented block of text interspersed with isolated sentences, which hinders overall progression. While the writer attempts to use cohesive devices such as 'However', 'On the other hand', and 'Meanwhile', their placement and the logical flow between sentences are often confused. For example, the transition between discussing dinner percentages and moving on to breakfast fat and sugar ratios feels disjointed. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, such as ambiguity in what 'they' refers to in various sentences. This organisational weakness places the response at Band 5.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is repetitive and basic, relying heavily on everyday terms like 'things', 'nutrients', 'percentage', and 'food'. There are frequent inappropriate word choices and collocations, such as 'dinner got the highest percentage', 'consumers of fat in dinner is 37%', and 'Theis is small amount' (spelling error). While the student attempts some less common terms like 'excessive amount', 'cardiac health', and 'proportion', the lexical control is weak and restricted. Vocabulary errors occasionally cause strain for the reader. This performance aligns with Band 5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response displays a very limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple or faulty complex sentences. There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('Our meals has', 'Consumers of fat... is'), run-on sentences, and punctuation omissions. For example, 'if we have them in excessive amount that would be so unhealthy for us' demonstrates faulty subordination and awkward phrasing. These frequent errors cause some difficulty for the reader and prevent the grammar score from reaching Band 6. Therefore, a Band 5 is appropriate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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