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 chart below illustrates the information of three types of nutrients if eaten too much it can be unhealthy, average is shown in percentages.
Overall, sodium contains highest percentage in dinner, similarly saturated fat also contains its highest percentage in dinner, whereas, snacks contains maximum added sugar.
firstly, sodium has same percentages for snacks and breakfast which is 14%, although, lunch has 29% sodium in it, whereas, dinner offers 43% which is significant amount of sodium in one meal.
Secondly, saturated fat contains lowest in breakfast with 16% and 21% in snacks furthermore, it grows up with 29% in lunch and 37% in dinner which is relatively higher than others. Added sugar on the other hand, contains maximum sugar in snack which is 42% and than it rose down to dinner with 23% moreover, in lunch there is 19% of sugar only and in breakfast it has 16% of added sugar which is quite good for health.
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 student attempts to address the task by summarizing the main features of the charts regarding the three nutrients. An overall trend is identified, and some comparisons are made between meals. However, there are some inaccuracies in reporting the data: for saturated fat, the student states it is 29% in lunch, whereas the visual data shows 26%. Furthermore, the description tends to list values mechanically rather than fully integrating the data into a cohesive overview. While all three categories are mentioned, the development is limited and contains minor errors in data interpretation, placing this performance at Band 5.5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is organized into paragraphs, starting with an introduction, an overview, and separate body paragraphs for the nutrients. However, the progression lacks overall smoothness. Transitional phrases such as 'firstly', 'Secondly', and 'furthermore' are used, but punctuation and sentence boundaries are weak, leading to run-on sentences (e.g., 'Added sugar on the other hand, contains maximum sugar in snack which is 42% and than it rose down to dinner with 23% moreover...'). Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion is sometimes faulty and mechanical, justifying a Band 5.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The student uses a limited range of vocabulary appropriate to the task, repeating basic terms like 'contains', 'percentage', and 'sugar'. There are awkward lexical choices and word forms, such as 'rose down' instead of 'fell' or 'decreased', and 'it grows up' instead of 'increases'. Personal commentary is also inappropriately included ('which is quite good for health'). Although the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey the basic statistics, frequent inaccuracies in word choice place this at a Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writing relies mostly on simple and flawed complex sentences. There are significant punctuation and grammatical errors throughout, including comma splices and run-on sentences (e.g., 'secondly, sodium has same percentages for snacks and breakfast which is 14%, although, lunch has 29% sodium in it, whereas, dinner offers 43%...'). Articles are frequently missing (e.g., 'contains highest percentage', 'in snack'), and verb tense/form consistency is poor. The range of structures is limited, and frequent errors cause some difficulty for the reader, fitting the Band 5.0 descriptors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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