Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-07

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)

INTRODUCTION:

This bar chat show the average pacentages in typical meals of three types of nutreints in USA.

OVERWIEW:

Overall, sodium much more used in dinner and added suggar is hiigher in snack while saturated fat ratio is most hisher in dinner.

PARAGRAPH:1

sodium was most higher used in dinner it ratio was 43% and very little used in breakfast and snack was almost 14% while its normal in lunch it gave only 29%.

PARAGRAPH:2

Similarly, saturated fat was also gained higher ratio in dinner was 37% and little used was breakfast almost 16% and normal in snack was 21% and 26% used in lunch. As well as added sugar is much more used in snack almost 42% and very little used in breakfast was almost 16% and added sugar was 19% used in lunch time and at the last its little increase in dinner time and used 23% in dinner.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main patterns accurately: sodium and saturated fat peak at dinner (43% and 37%), while added sugar is highest in snacks (42%). You also report the key meal figures for all three nutrients, so the response addresses the chart rather than merely listing isolated data. However, the overview is unclear and does not bring the main contrasts together; for example, it says sodium is “much more used” at dinner without clearly contrasting this with its equal 14% shares at breakfast and snacks. Some comparisons are also under-developed, and the description of added sugar’s dinner share as a “little increase” is not clearly related to its other values. A sharper overview and more precise comparisons would make the key features clearer.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and separate paragraphs for the nutrient data. This helps the reader follow the broad organisation. However, progression within the paragraphs is sometimes difficult to track because several meal figures are joined in long, loosely connected sentences. In the saturated-fat paragraph, for instance, dinner, breakfast, snacks and lunch are presented in a sequence that does not consistently signal the comparisons between them. Linking phrases such as “Similarly” and “As well as” are used, but the latter does not clearly connect the ideas that follow. Grouping the highest and lowest figures first, then comparing the remaining meals, would create a clearer flow and reduce mechanical listing.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “ratio,” “higher,” “little” and “used,” and the reader can generally identify which nutrient and meal you mean. However, the vocabulary is basic and repetitive, and several word choices or collocations make the description awkward, such as “most higher used,” “normal in lunch” and “gained higher ratio.” Spelling errors in “pacentages,” “nutreints,” “OVERWIEW” and “suggar” also weaken accuracy. For clearer data reporting, use precise verbs and comparison language such as “accounted for,” “was highest,” “represented” and “compared with.” A wider, more accurate range would help you describe the figures without repeatedly relying on “used” and “little.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, and the reader can usually recover the intended comparisons. However, sentence structures are often incomplete or poorly controlled. For example, “sodium was most higher used in dinner it ratio was 43%” joins two clauses without suitable punctuation or a linking structure, while “saturated fat was also gained higher ratio in dinner was 37%” lacks a clear grammatical frame. Articles, prepositions and possessives are also inconsistent, as in “in dinner” and “it ratio.” Try building accurate comparison sentences, such as “Sodium accounted for 43% at dinner, compared with 14% at breakfast and during snacks.” More reliable clause boundaries and sentence patterns would improve clarity.

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.