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 three pie charts compares the mean proportion of three kinds of nutrients in typical meals consumed across the USA.

Overall, it is evident that, dinner held the largest share of satuarted fat and lunch was at sencond place in same category, however they both expeiennificant decline in percentage in saturaturated fat and sugar. however, snack and brekfast witnessed significant growth in the same sectors.

In terms of heavy meals, sodium was dominant in dinner, which comprised the largest share at 43%, nevertheless, the share for saturated fat and sugar dropped and accounted for 37% and 23% respectively. Similarly, lunch was at second place, constituting the 29% of sodium, 21% of fat, and 19% added sugar.

Regarding remaining nutrients, snack comprised mere 14% sodium in dinner, it was then shown significnat increase, accounting for 21% satureted fat and comprising 42% of sugar it become the principle in sugar. brekfast acoounted for the smallest proportion of all nutrients in all three meals and comprised 14% to 16%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important patterns, including dinner having the highest sodium share (43%) and added sugar being highest in snacks (42%). However, some comparisons are inaccurate or unclear: lunch contains 26% saturated fat, not 21%, and breakfast is not the smallest category for every nutrient because snacks have the same sodium share (14%). The overview also says breakfast and snacks showed “growth,” although the charts compare meal shares rather than changes over time. Your report covers the three nutrients, but the main features are only partly selected and explained, and the inaccurate figures weaken the comparison. Focus the overview on the contrasting peaks: dinner for sodium and saturated fat, and snacks for added sugar.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and paragraphs describing the meal categories. This gives the reader some guidance. However, the progression is not consistently clear: the overview refers to “growth” and “decline,” which suggests a time sequence that the charts do not show, and the later paragraphs shift between nutrients and meals without a clear organising principle. Linking words such as “nevertheless,” “similarly” and “regarding” are attempted, but some do not express the relationship accurately. For example, the sentence beginning “Regarding remaining nutrients” is difficult to follow. Organise the body either by nutrient or by meal, and use links only when they clarify a genuine comparison.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt a range of task-related vocabulary, including “proportion,” “dominant,” “constituting” and “comprised,” and the reader can generally identify the categories being discussed. However, the range is not controlled consistently, and repeated spelling errors—such as “satuarted,” “brekfast” and “significnat”—make the writing less clear. Some word choices are also inaccurate or unnatural: “growth” and “decline” imply change over time, while “heavy meals” is not a precise description of dinner and lunch. Phrases such as “principle in sugar” also obscure the intended meaning. Use straightforward, accurate terms such as “share,” “highest” and “accounted for” rather than forcing less suitable vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “which” and “however.” Nevertheless, errors occur frequently and sometimes make relationships between ideas difficult to understand. For example, “The three pie charts compares” has subject–verb disagreement, while “dinner held the largest share … however” has faulty punctuation and sentence connection. The sentence about snacks combines several ideas without a clear grammatical structure, and “it become the principle in sugar” has an unclear pronoun reference and incorrect verb form. Articles and sentence boundaries also need attention, as in “constituting the 29%.” Practise building shorter, complete sentences first, then add subordinate clauses and check agreement, tense and punctuation.

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