Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-04
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 3 diagrams below shows the average percentage of sodium, saturated fat and added sugars in typical meals consumed in the United States all of which may be unhealthy if eaten too much.
Sodium with the 43% content in the dinner shows the higher percentage among all 3 types of nutrients. Too much sodium can lead to the hypertension in people. In the breakfast, saturated fat and added sugars shows the same percentage which is 16%.
Sodium content in breakfast and snack is 14%, and in lunch it is 29%.
Saturated fat content in snack, lunch and dinner is 21%, 26% and 37% respectively.
Most of added sugar content found in snacks which is 42% and in lunch and dinner is 19% and 23% respectively.
Most of the sodium and saturated fat content is present in dinner and most of the added sugar present in snack which is 42%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses the main features of the charts by reporting key nutrient percentages across the four meals, including the high sodium in dinner and added sugars in snacks. However, the length requirement is not met, as the response contains only 130 words (excluding prompt copying), falling short of the 150-word minimum. The overview lacks a comprehensive summary, and some interpretations drift into outside speculation, such as stating that too much sodium leads to hypertension. While key data points are mentioned, the lack of full development and failure to meet the minimum word count keep this section at a partial level.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5
The response exhibits some organization, but there is no clear overall progression or logical structure between paragraphs. The text is broken into short, fragmented sentences and isolated lines rather than cohesive, flowing paragraphs. Cohesive devices are minimal, repetitive, or inadequate, with awkward referencing throughout. For instance, jumping between disconnected bullet-like sentences prevents a smooth reading experience. To achieve a higher band, the writer needs to group related data logically and use a wider range of cohesive devices to ensure clear progression from the introduction through the body details to the final summary.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, featuring basic terms such as 'percentage', 'content', 'typical meals', and 'nutrients'. There are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as 'shows the higher percentage' instead of 'the highest percentage', and 'most of added sugar content found in snacks which is...' which impede natural expression. Spelling and word choice are generally understandable, but the lack of flexibility and precision limits the score. Incorporating a broader range of vocabulary and precise reporting verbs would elevate the lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer demonstrates a limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences with frequent attempts at complex forms that turn out faulty. There are noticeable errors in grammar, articles, and prepositions, such as 'shows the average percentage' (disagreement with plural nouns), 'lead to the hypertension' (unnecessary article), and 'In the breakfast' instead of 'In breakfast'. Punctuation and verb agreement issues also occur, such as 'saturated fat and added sugars shows' (plural subject with singular verb). These frequent errors cause some difficulty for the reader and reflect a limited grammatical range.
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