Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-02
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)
There are three bar charts that illustrates the average percentage of different types of nutrients that are consumed by the people of USA during meals. There are three main nutrients that are discussed sodium, saturated fat and added sugar.These nutrients are divided into 4 parts of the daily eating routine. These parts are dinner breakfast, lunch and snack.
The percentage of sodium in dinner and lunch is much more than the rest two's.. It is about 43% dinner and 29% in sodium which is more than the saturated fat and added sugar. Whereas the concentration of sodium in snack is 42% and breakfast is 16% is much lower than the rest two's. The percentage of added sugar in snack and breakfast is much more than the rest of two's. The most stable percentage is of saturated fat which is stable among all. Snack comprises of 21%, breakfast 16%, dinner 37% and lunch 26%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response addresses the task only partially, which keeps it at a lower band level. While the student attempts to summarise the main nutrients, there are significant factual errors in reading the data from the visual source. For example, the writer states that "the concentration of sodium in snack is 42%," when the chart actually shows that added sugar reaches 42% in snacks, while sodium is 14%. Similarly, the overview misidentifies the visual format as bar charts instead of pie charts. Furthermore, comparisons are poorly handled, with vague expressions such as "much more than the rest two's" and some key trends being overlooked or incorrectly attributed, leading to an underdeveloped and confused overview of the charts.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
There is some organisation in the response, but it lacks clear overall progression and logical sequencing. The text begins with a short introductory paragraph and moves into body details, but paragraphing is basic and sentences feel somewhat disjointed. Cohesive devices are used inadequately or repetitively, such as the repeated phrases "the rest two's" and "the rest of two's," which cause awkwardness and mechanical transitions. Referencing between ideas is not always clear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the flow of information smoothly from one nutrient to the next.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to convey basic concepts related to nutrients and meals. However, there are noticeable errors in word choice, collocation, and phrasing that cause confusion, such as referring to the categories as "parts of the daily eating routine" and repeatedly writing "the rest two's" or "the rest of two's." Attempts to use specific statistical terminology are limited, and inaccurate lexical choices impede clear communication regarding the specific data points shown in the charts.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer employs a limited range of sentence structures, relying primarily on simple sentences and basic descriptive patterns. Attempts at complex sentences often result in faulty grammar and awkward phrasing, such as "There are three bar charts that illustrates..." where subject-verb agreement fails. There are frequent errors in prepositions and articles, including "in dinner" instead of "at dinner" or "for dinner," and missing plural markers. These frequent errors in basic grammatical patterns and agreements can cause some difficulty and hesitation for the reader.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.