Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-12
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 demonstrate types of nutrients such as; sodium, saturated fat and added sugar in everyday meals , which are considered not good for health if consumed excessively .
Overall, sodium and saturated fat account highest percentage in dinner. Whereas added sugar is the highest in snacks. Breakfast contains the lowest amount of all three nutrients.
Like in all three types of the nutrients people consume all these in the dinner eg; sodium43%, saturated fat 37% and added sugar 23%. Likewise the breakfast meal contains low amount of the nutrients such as ; sodim14%, saturated fat16% and added sugar16%.
Furthermore the average amount of the nutrients is similar in the lunch such as; sodium is 29%, saturated fat 26% and added sugar 19%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You identify the main pattern that sodium and saturated fat peak at dinner, while added sugar is highest in snacks, and you support several points with accurate figures. However, the report is incomplete: it does not give the snack figures for sodium and saturated fat or explain the contrast between the 42% of added sugar in snacks and the lower snack shares of the other nutrients. The statement that breakfast contains the lowest amount of all three is broadly supported, but the chart shows breakfast and snacks tie for sodium at 14%. The response also falls 26 words short of the required minimum, limiting the detail and comparisons. Include a fuller overview and cover the most notable contrasts.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a basic structure, moving from an introduction to an overview and then to meal-specific details. This makes the main message reasonably easy to follow. However, the body paragraphs do not develop a clear progression across all four meal types: dinner, breakfast and lunch are reported, but snacks are omitted from the detailed comparison. Linking is also limited and sometimes mechanical, as in “Likewise” and “Furthermore,” while “Like in all three types” does not clearly connect the point to the overview. Organise the details by meal or by nutrient, and use comparisons to guide the reader from one set of figures to the next.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “percentage,” “average amount,” and the nutrient names, so the topic is generally clear. However, the range is limited and some expressions are awkward or imprecise, such as “types of nutrients,” “not good for health,” and “low amount of the nutrients.” Repetition of “contains” and “such as” also makes the report less flexible. Spelling errors such as “sodim” reduce accuracy, and informal “eg” is unsuitable for this report. Aim for concise, precise language for describing proportions and peaks, and check spelling and collocations before submitting.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt both simple statements and more complex structures, and the overview communicates the main trends. However, sentence control is uneven. The opening has faulty punctuation and spacing (“such as;” and “meals ,”), while “Overall, sodium and saturated fat account highest percentage” is missing grammatical elements needed for a complete comparison. “Whereas added sugar is the highest in snacks” is a fragment when separated from the preceding sentence. The repeated list constructions also show limited structural variety. Use complete sentences, check articles and prepositions in phrases such as “account for the highest percentage,” and punctuate examples consistently. These changes would make the figures easier to read.
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