Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-14

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 5.0)

The pie charts shows the average percentage of sodium, saturated fats and sugars in typical meals consumed in the USA.

The percentage of breakfast is almost same among all three types of nutrients.

The first type of nutrients is sodium which consists of four meals those are dinner, lunch, breakfast and snacks. The percentage of sodium is 43 in dinner which is highest among others. The second one is lunch which contains 29% sodium and the second highest percentage. The others two are snack and breakfast which have same14% sodium in them. The next and second nutrient is saturated fat which is also consist of same four meals. The first meal is dinner which has 37% saturated fat. The second one is lunch which contains 26% saturated fat, The third meal is breakfast which contains 16% saturated in it. The forth meal is snack which contains 21% fat. The last nutrient is sugar added in over meals those are also snack, dinner, lunch and breakfast. The first one is snack which has highest sugar of 42% as compared to others. The second one is dinner which has 23% sugar and lunch contains 19% sugar and the last one is breakfast which contains 16% sugar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You report most of the chart figures accurately, including dinner as the largest source of sodium (43%) and added sugar being highest in snacks (42%). However, the overview is too limited: the statement that breakfast is “almost same” across nutrients does not identify the main contrast between dinner’s high sodium and saturated-fat shares and snacks’ high added-sugar share. There is also a factual error: you give breakfast’s added sugar as 16%, whereas the chart shows 16%—this figure is correct, but the comparison is not clearly framed. The response mainly lists figures meal by meal, with little synthesis across nutrients. To strengthen coverage, add a concise overview and compare the most notable patterns directly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response follows a recognisable sequence, discussing sodium, saturated fat and then added sugar, and this helps the reader locate the information. However, the organisation is largely a repeated list rather than a clear progression from an overview to selected comparisons. Phrases such as “The first type,” “The next and second nutrient” and “The last nutrient” are mechanical, while the long paragraph makes the three sections difficult to distinguish. Some links between details are also unclear, particularly the saturated-fat figures, where dinner, lunch, breakfast and snack are not presented in descending order. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and details, and group comparable meal patterns to make the relationships clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “percentage,” “highest,” “contains” and the names of the nutrients and meals, so the basic information is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several expressions are repetitive or imprecise, such as “the first one,” “the second one” and “sugar of 42%.” Some word combinations are unnatural, including “consists of four meals” and “saturated in it”; meals do not constitute a nutrient category, and the latter phrase omits the noun. Aim for more precise reporting language, such as “accounts for,” “share” and “proportion,” and vary how you compare values. Check word forms and spacing as well, for example “same14%.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some longer sentences using relative clauses, as in “The second one is lunch which contains 29% sodium,” but most sentences follow a simple, repetitive pattern and control is inconsistent. Subject–verb agreement is faulty in “The pie charts shows” and “which is also consist.” Other errors include missing articles or awkward sentence construction in “The percentage of breakfast is almost same,” and punctuation problems where a comma joins or separates clauses incorrectly, as in “26% saturated fat, The third meal.” These errors do not usually prevent the reader from understanding the figures, but they make the report less accurate and fluent. Practise accurate agreement, article use and sentence boundaries, then combine details with controlled comparison clauses.

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