Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-30
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 what proportion of sodium, saturated fat and added sodium is consumed in four daily meal in America.
overall, dinner is the largest source of sodium and saturated fat. while snakcs contain the highest amount of added sugar. in contrast breakfast contribute the smallest to all three types of nutrients.
similarly, saturated fats dinner is the dominate source oat 37%, followed by lunch 26%, and snacks 21%. breakfast against lowest is 16%.
However, the pattern for added sugar is quite different. Snacks are by far the main source, comprising 42% of added sugar intake. Dinner provides 23%, while lunch and breakfast contribute 19% and 16% respectively.
In summary, while dinner is rich in sodium and saturated fat, unhealthy added sugar is mainly consumed through snacks.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The student attempts to summarise the main features of the four charts illustrating the consumption of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar across four daily meals in America. An overview is provided, stating that dinner is highest in sodium and saturated fat while snacks lead in added sugar. Key data points are cited, such as snacks comprising 42% of added sugar and dinner providing 37% of saturated fat. However, the response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, stopping at 128 words. Furthermore, there are minor omissions and data confusions, such as referring to added sodium instead of sodium and minor phrasing issues. Because the task is under-length, the score is capped.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is organised into logical paragraphs, including an introduction, body paragraphs addressing specific nutrients, and a brief summary. Cohesive devices are used to signal transitions and contrasts, such as "overall", "in contrast", and "however". Paragraphing is generally appropriate for a short report. However, referencing is occasionally imprecise, and the flow is disrupted by frequent grammatical and mechanical errors, making the overall structure somewhat mechanical. Progression is clear enough to follow the main trends, but the lack of lexical control impacts overall cohesion.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The student uses a limited range of vocabulary relevant to the task, including terms like "proportion", "source", "comprising", and "respectively". There are noticeable lexical and spelling errors that detract from the quality of writing, such as "snakcs" for snacks, "dominate" instead of dominant, and "oat" instead of of. The phrase "added sodium" is used incorrectly instead of added sugar. While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey the basic data, the frequent errors and restricted range prevent the response from achieving a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as "while snacks contain the highest amount of added sugar" and "Dinner provides 23%, while lunch and breakfast contribute 19% and 16% respectively." However, accuracy is weak throughout the text. There are numerous punctuation and capitalization errors, such as starting sentences with lowercase letters ("the pie chart", "overall", "similarly"). Other grammatical slips include "breakfast contribute the smallest" (omitting 'the smallest amount' or plural agreement) and "breakfast against lowest is 16%". These frequent errors impede smooth reading.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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