Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The pie charts compare levels of sodium, saturated fats and added sugars in the meals consumed in United States of America.
As per pie chart 1 it can be seen that sodium in different foods is divided into 4 fractions namely breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner. With lunch and breakfast comprising of equal levels of sodium which is 14%. Dinner and lunch being 43% and 29% respectively, adding up to the rest.
Pie chart 2 demonstrating the saturated fats. Dinner containing maximum amounts of fats as shown which is 37%, lunch with 26%, snacks with 21% and breakfast with least amounts of saturated fats capped at 16%.
Coming to added sugars in the food, snacks consists of maximum levels of sugars 42%, followed by dinner 23%, making lunch penultimate sugar comprising meal which is 19% and lastly breakfast with least amount of added sugars that has been mention as 12%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5
The response attempts to summarize the charts comparing nutrient percentages, but it contains several inaccuracies and fails to fully address all parts of the data clearly. For example, the student incorrectly states that lunch and breakfast comprise equal levels of sodium at 14%, whereas the chart shows breakfast and snacks are 14% while lunch is 29%. Furthermore, there are errors in reading the data for added sugars, stating breakfast is 12% when the chart indicates 16%. While an overview or general trend is touched upon, the response lacks a clear, fully realized overall summary of the main features across all three nutrients, leading to an incomplete presentation of the data.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is arranged into distinct paragraphs for each chart, which helps establish a basic structure. Information is generally presented in a readable order, moving from sodium to saturated fats and then added sugars. However, the progression between and within paragraphs feels somewhat mechanical due to repetitive and formulaic opening phrases such as 'As per pie chart 1', 'Pie chart 2 demonstrating', and 'Coming to added sugars'. Cohesive devices are occasionally faulty, and referencing is not always completely clear, holding the response back from achieving a higher level of logical flow and sophisticated cohesion.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to communicate basic comparisons using terms like 'maximum', 'minimum', and 'respective'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary and phraseology, such as 'penultimate sugar comprising meal', but this phrase is awkward and inaccurate in context. Additionally, there are minor lexical inaccuracies, such as using 'mention' instead of 'mentioned'. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the general message, but word choice and collocation lack the precision and natural control needed for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The text displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but it is heavily reliant on participle phrases and sentence fragments rather than fully controlled main clauses. For instance, sentences like 'Pie chart 2 demonstrating the saturated fats' and 'Dinner containing maximum amounts of fats as shown which is 37%' lack finite verbs. There are noticeable grammatical errors and awkward structures throughout the text, though they rarely impede overall communication. A greater control over sentence construction and a reduction in fragmented clauses are needed to improve this criterion.
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