Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-18
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 demonstrate the proportions of regular meals of three types of nutrients and they can be detrimental for health if consumed too much.
Overall, dinner contains the most percentage of sodium but moderate amount of saturated fat and added sugar. Moreover, snacks have high percentages of sugar in it as well as average quantity of the rest two nutrients. However, average percentages of the three nutrients are used in breakfast and lunch.
43 percent of sodium is used in dinner which is the highest percentage among the three pie charts. 37 and 23 percent of saturated fat and added sugar respectively is added into dinner.
Snacks have 42 percent of added sugar which is the second highest percentage and it also has 14% of sodium and 21% of saturated fat. 16 percent of added sugar and saturated fat are in breakfast. Furthermore, lunch contain 29% of sodium, 26% of saturated fat and 19% of added sugar.
These three pie charts are illustrating average percentages of three nutrients added sugar, saturated fat and sodium consumption in USA .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student successfully covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the three pie charts regarding sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar consumption across typical meals in the USA. An overall trend is provided in the second paragraph, and specific data points—such as dinner accounting for 43% of sodium and snacks containing 42% of added sugar—are cited accurately from the visual data. Comparisons are made, particularly noting highest percentages and general moderate levels. However, the response concludes with a repetitive introductory-style statement in the final paragraph rather than synthesizing the information effectively, and the overview could be slightly more integrated. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, placing it at a Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into clear paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overview, body paragraphs detailing the specific data, and a concluding sentence. Logical connectors such as 'Overall', 'Moreover', 'However', and 'Furthermore' are used to structure the ideas, though some cohesion feels slightly mechanical or repetitive in pattern (e.g., listing percentages consecutively). Referencing is generally clear, but the layout of the paragraphs is somewhat fragmented, with a very brief final sentence standing alone. Coherence is maintained throughout, satisfying the requirements for Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms related to data reporting and nutrition such as 'proportions', 'detrimental', 'nutrients', and 'percentages'. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, but also noticeable inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'most percentage' instead of 'highest percentage', 'the rest two nutrients' instead of 'the remaining two nutrients', and 'lunch contain' (subject-verb agreement). Spelling is generally accurate, but lexical control lacks flexibility, resulting in a Band 5.5 performance.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The pie charts demonstrate the proportions... and they can be detrimental...' and relative clauses ('which is the highest percentage'). However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly regarding subject-verb agreement ('lunch contain'), preposition usage ('added into dinner', 'in breakfast'), and awkward phrasing ('consumed too much'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but errors in grammar occasionally cause slight strain for the reader. These features align well with the Band 5.5 descriptors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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