Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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

IELTS Writing

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The chart illustrates the proportion of sodium, saturated fat and added sugar in breakfast, lunch and dinner consumed by the citizens of USA.

Overall, sodium and saturated fat consumed at a massive amount in dinner while added sugar ranked at second after snack.

In Dinner the highest percentage of sodium and saturated fat consumed which placed at 43 and 37% respectively while the added sugar conatin 23%. In luch sodium and saturated fat are very close in terms of ratio and gained 29% and 26% whereas luch got the 19% of added sugar.

The number of percentage in breakfast of saturate fat and added sugar accounted the 16% and the sodium secured the 14%.

The highest number of snack percentage in added sugar at 42% and sodium acheived the 14% of snack value while the in saturated fat snack approached at 21% of the total percentage. This is all about the consumtion of different items on different stages.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main pattern that dinner has the largest shares of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks lead for added sugar, and you report several relevant figures accurately, including dinner’s 43% sodium and 37% saturated fat and snacks’ 42% added sugar. This gives the response a clear, relevant overview and addresses the chart. However, the overview is brief and some comparisons are not fully developed: for example, breakfast and snack shares for sodium are both 14%, and the response could highlight that added sugar rises from breakfast through dinner before peaking in snacks. The opening also refers to only three meals, although the chart includes snacks. A more complete overview and clearer selection of the most significant contrasts would strengthen the report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs reporting figures for meals and snacks. This helps the reader follow the broad categories being discussed. However, progression is not consistently clear because the meal figures are grouped together and then snacks are added at the end, without a strong organising principle. Linking is also limited and sometimes awkward, as in “while the added sugar contain 23%” and “while the in saturated fat snack…”. Repeated use of “while” does not always clarify the relationship between the figures. Grouping the data by nutrient, or comparing each meal across all three nutrients, and using more precise transitions would make the comparisons easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant chart vocabulary such as “proportion,” “percentage,” “ratio,” and “accounted,” so the reader can generally understand that you are describing shares. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, including “consumed at a massive amount,” “ranked at second,” and “snack percentage.” Some spelling errors, such as “conatin,” “luch,” “acheived,” and “consumtion,” also reduce accuracy. Aim for standard reporting phrases such as “accounted for,” “was the highest,” and “the proportion of added sugar in snacks.” More precise vocabulary and careful proofreading would make the description clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer comparisons, and the main figures can usually be understood. However, control of sentence structure and verb forms is inconsistent. For example, “sodium and saturated fat consumed at a massive amount” is missing a suitable verb construction, while “the added sugar conatin 23%” has an incorrect verb form and agreement. The sentence beginning “In Dinner the highest percentage…” also lacks a clear grammatical structure, and “the sodium secured the 14%” uses an unclear construction. Articles, prepositions, and punctuation are also uneven. Practise building accurate comparison sentences, such as “Dinner accounts for the highest shares of sodium and saturated fat, at 43% and 37%, respectively,” before adding more complex clauses.

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