Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-08

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 chats displays the average percentages of three types of nutrients in snack, breakfast, dinner and lunch, all which are unhealthy if eaten too much

Overall, Sodium and saturated fat takes the majorirty of share during dinner, followed by added sugar in snacks, while proportional of three nutrients remains almost constant for the breakfast

During dinner, sodium with 43% and saturated fat 37% takes highest share as compared to other meals. Followed by snack with single largest nutrient of sugar with 42% as compare to sodium with 14% and saturated fat with 21%/

At breakfast, sodium, saturated fat and added sugar relatively have same percentage very slight change such as 14%, 16% and 16% respectively. At contrast, sodium and saturated fat during lunch is 29% and 26% while percentage of added sugar is 19% in luch which is less compare to two nutrients

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main pattern accurately: dinner has the highest shares of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks have the highest added sugar. The figures you give for breakfast and lunch also match the chart, and the overview provides a useful summary. However, some comparisons are underdeveloped: for example, you could state that dinner is also the largest meal-time share for added sugar, even though snacks lead overall, and compare the meal distributions more systematically. The response is also six words below the required minimum, so it does not fully meet the task’s length instruction. A little more detail and a concluding comparison would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing the figures. This gives the information a coherent overall arrangement. You also use linking expressions such as “Overall,” “followed by,” and “At contrast” to signal comparisons. However, some connections are awkward or unclear. The sentence beginning “Followed by snack” is a fragment, and the slash at the end of the dinner comparison interrupts the flow. The overview’s reference to breakfast is not clearly connected to the later figures, while the meal comparisons could be grouped more consistently. Use complete sentences and organise the details by meal or by nutrient to create clearer progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “average percentages,” “share,” “highest,” and “relatively,” and the reader can generally understand the comparisons. There are also attempts at more precise phrasing, such as “single largest nutrient of sugar.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural: “pie chats” should be “pie charts,” “takes the majorirty of share” is not idiomatic, and “as compare to” should be “compared with.” Spelling errors such as “luch” and “majorirty” also reduce accuracy. Build a reliable set of expressions for describing proportions and rankings, and check spelling and word forms before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, and the main comparisons are usually understandable. However, errors in agreement and sentence construction occur in several places. For example, “Sodium and saturated fat takes” needs a plural verb, while “Followed by snack…” is an incomplete sentence rather than a full comparison. The opening phrase “all which are unhealthy” also needs a relative construction such as “all of which may be unhealthy.” In “At contrast,” the preposition is not used correctly, and the final lunch sentence lacks a clear grammatical structure. Aim for accurate complete sentences first, then add variety through clauses such as “whereas” and “while.”

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