Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

The pie chart illusrtates the comparison of different types of nutrition in usual meals ,all of which may be unhealthy if eaten too much.

Overall, In USA , sodium is usually used in larger quantity in dinner , similarly, saturated fats are also used in a greater quantity in dinner but added sugar takes a huge proportion in snaks.

In an average snack the sodium proportion is 14% , saturated fat with a little higher with 21% and added sugar with the most is 42%. If we talk about breakfast there is a sustained proportion

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify two important overall patterns: dinner has the highest shares of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks contain the most added sugar. You also report the snack figures accurately. However, the response is incomplete: it stops during the breakfast discussion and gives no figures or comparisons for lunch, breakfast, or the remaining chart data. The overview is therefore only partial, and the task is addressed minimally rather than with a full summary of the main features. The response is also below the required 150 words; 10 words copied from the prompt were not counted. To improve, complete the comparison across all four meals and three nutrients, selecting the key figures to support your overview.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overview and then a detail paragraph. The overview uses “similarly” to connect the two dinner patterns, and “If we talk about breakfast” signals a move to another meal. However, the progression is not completed: the final sentence breaks off at “there is a sustained proportion,” leaving the reader without the intended information. The detail paragraph also shifts from snacks to breakfast without explaining how the comparison is being organised, and there is no coverage of lunch. Use complete paragraphs and a consistent structure—for example, compare all meals for each nutrient, or describe each meal across the three nutrients—with clear links between points.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant vocabulary for describing charts, including “proportion,” “quantity,” “comparison,” and “larger.” These choices make the general subject understandable, but the range is limited and some expressions are imprecise or unnatural, such as “different types of nutrition,” “used in larger quantity,” and “takes a huge proportion.” “Nutrition” is also less suitable here than the chart’s specific terms, “nutrients” or “nutrient shares.” There are noticeable spelling errors in “illusrtates” and “snaks,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for precise chart language and accurate spelling, such as “accounts for,” “share,” and “highest percentage,” while using the exact nutrient names consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including the overview sentence linking sodium and saturated fat with “similarly.” However, control is uneven. The opening has faulty punctuation and spacing (“meals ,all”), and the overview contains unnecessary capitalisation and missing commas (“Overall, In USA”). In “saturated fat with a little higher with 21%,” the sentence lacks a clear verb and grammatical structure. The final sentence is incomplete, so its meaning cannot be fully understood. These issues make parts of the response difficult to follow. Practise complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, for example, “Saturated fat accounts for 21% of snack consumption,” and check articles, punctuation, and sentence endings.

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