Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-01
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 illustrate the consumption percentage of sodium, saturated fats and added sugars in their regular diet. They show the amount of these nutrients added to snack, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Sugar is the most consumed nutrient added to snack. The percentages of the three nutrients are the same or nearly the same at breakfast. Sugar is consumed less compared to other ingredients at lunch and dinner. In relation to this, people consume much more sodium at lunch and dinner. It is observed from the charts that all nutrients have a high rate of consumption at dinner.
Overall, the pie charts present a comparison that indicates that sodium is a highly consumed nutrient in all meals compared to the other two ingredients.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt only partially and fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, stopping at 123 words. While the student attempts to summarise the charts by mentioning categories like snack, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the coverage of data is limited and lacks sufficient detail. Key figures are largely omitted, and the overview contains inaccuracies, such as the claim that sodium is the most consumed nutrient in all meals, which misinterprets the charts where added sugars dominate snacks (42%). Ideas remain under-developed, and the lack of comprehensive data selection prevents a fully clear representation of the visual information provided.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay displays some overall organisation, but there is no clear overall progression from beginning to end. Information is grouped into sentences, yet the logical transitions between ideas are sometimes mechanical or repetitive. For instance, the transition 'In relation to this' feels forced and does not properly connect the contrasting trends of sugar and sodium at lunch and dinner. Paragraphing is attempted, but the short and disjointed paragraphs hinder the flow of the response, demonstrating that cohesive devices are sometimes inadequate or repetitive.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, but the range is limited and repetitive, with frequent reliance on basic terms such as 'consumption percentage', 'nutrient', and 'percentages'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, but these are sometimes imprecise or unnatural in context, such as 'nutrient added to snack' instead of 'nutrient consumed as snacks'. Word choice errors do not heavily impede communication, but they reflect a restricted lexical repertoire that lacks the precision required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0
The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and some complex sentence forms, such as 'It is observed from the charts that all nutrients have a high rate of consumption at dinner.' There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, including missing plural forms or awkward prepositions, but they rarely impede communication. The majority of simple sentences are accurate, while attempts at more complex structures show basic control, though the overall variety of sentence patterns remains limited.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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