Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-09
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 charts illustrate typical meals of USA consits of sodium,saturated fat,sugar ,which may be unhealthy if eaten too much.
Overall,sodium and saturated fat is the main nutrition in dinner,while breakfast accounted for less in all three types of nutrients portion.Furthermore,snacks is consits for mainly added sugar which is almost half of the total nutrient portion .
on one hand,Dinner accounted for 43% of sodium and 37% of saturated fat recorded in every day meal of USA.Whereas dinner being second largest portion accounted for only 23% in added sugar.In addition lunch being second highest on all criteria(sodium-29%,saturated fat-26%) except added sugar nutrient,which is only 19%.
on other hand,Breakfast almost have same portion in all type of nutrients14%(sodium),16%(sodium),16%(sodium) respectively.However snack is the largest portion in added sugar which accounted for 42%.But in sodium it is only 14% which is the lowest but in the saturated fat nutrients it is third highest which is 21%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You identify the main pattern that dinner has the largest shares of sodium and saturated fat, and that snacks account for the most added sugar. Several comparisons are relevant, including dinner’s 43% sodium and 37% saturated fat, and snacks’ 42% added sugar. However, the breakfast figures are misreported: they are 14% sodium, 16% saturated fat and 16% added sugar, not three sodium figures. The overview also says breakfast is lowest for all nutrients, although snacks tie breakfast for sodium. The response is 146 words, four below the 150-word minimum; the eight words copied from the prompt do not count. Check each figure against the chart and include a little more accurate comparison.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and two paragraphs comparing meal types. This helps the reader locate the main information, and contrasts such as “Whereas” and “However” show an attempt to connect ideas. However, progression is weakened by the repeated “on one hand/on other hand” framing and by placing several comparisons in long, crowded sentences. Some links are not logical or clear—for example, “Furthermore” introduces the snack observation without a clear relationship to the preceding overview. Grouping the data more consistently (for example, dinner and lunch together, then breakfast and snacks) and using fewer, more precise transitions would make the comparisons easier to follow.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “accounted for,” “portion,” “largest” and “lowest,” so the reader can understand the broad comparisons. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate, such as “main nutrition,” “nutrient portion” and “snacks is consits for.” “Nutrition” is not the right countable label for the chart categories; “nutrient” or the specific nutrient name would be clearer. Spelling and spacing errors, including “consits” and “sodium,saturated,” also reduce control. Aim for precise, repeated chart language rather than awkward paraphrases, and proofread spelling and spacing so the data descriptions read naturally.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple statements and longer comparisons, but control is inconsistent, which sometimes makes relationships between ideas difficult to interpret. Examples include “sodium and saturated fat is” (subject–verb agreement), “snacks is” and “Breakfast almost have,” as well as the incomplete construction “Whereas dinner being second largest portion.” Articles and sentence boundaries are also often missing or misplaced, as in “in every day meal of USA” and the comma-heavy opening. The breakfast sentence is especially hard to follow because its list does not clearly connect each percentage to a nutrient. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement, complete clauses and punctuation, then check that each comparison forms a full sentence.
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