Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-16
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 following pie charts illustrates the proportion of three different nutrients in a typical meal consumed in the USA.
An overview shows snacks which accounts for the largest proportion content in added suggar and saturated fats, before reducing its level in sodium seen clearly on the first chart.
It can be observed on the three pie chart that, diner portion contains a very high percentage of sodium at 43, saturated fat at 37 before dropping down to 23 for added sugar. However snacks carries a very high percentage of added sugar at 42 , before falling down to 21 and 14 in saturated fat and sodium respectively.
While the content of sodium, saturated fat and added sugar percentage in breakfast is 14, 16 and 16 which is very steady and small, the proportion of launch is quiet big compared to breakfast with values such as 29, 26 and 19 percent respetively.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
You identify the main contrasts accurately: dinner has the highest shares of sodium and saturated fat (43% and 37%), while snacks lead in added sugar (42%). You also report the breakfast figures correctly and compare lunch with breakfast. This gives a relevant overview and covers the key meal categories. However, the overview is not fully clear: saying snacks have the largest proportion of saturated fat is inaccurate, since dinner is highest at 37% compared with 21% for snacks. The phrase “before reducing its level in sodium” also obscures the comparison. To strengthen the response, state the overall patterns precisely and develop the lunch figures with a clearer comparison, rather than describing them only as “quite big.”
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable progression: an introduction, an overview, and then comparisons of dinner, snacks, breakfast and lunch. This helps the reader locate the main information. However, the overview and the following paragraph overlap, and the comparisons are not always arranged in a clear sequence. For example, “before reducing its level in sodium” is difficult to connect to the figures, while “However” introduces a contrast that is not fully explained. The final sentence combines three nutrient figures with a broad judgement, making the comparison feel crowded. Use separate, clearly focused paragraphs and organise the details by meal or by nutrient; use linking words only where the relationship between the figures is explicit.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use relevant chart vocabulary such as “proportion,” “percentage,” “contains” and “values,” and the reader can generally understand which nutrients and meals you mean. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, including “largest proportion content,” “diner portion,” “snacks carries,” and “very steady and small.” There are also spelling errors in “suggar,” “launch” and “respetively,” which reduce precision. “Quiet big” is not an appropriate expression for a chart comparison. Aim for standard reporting phrases such as “accounts for,” “the share of,” and “is higher than,” and check spelling carefully. More precise vocabulary would make the comparisons clearer without requiring unnecessarily complex wording.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including a subordinate clause beginning “While,” and most of the data relationships remain understandable. However, some grammatical errors recur. The opening says “charts illustrates,” where the plural subject requires “illustrate”; “snacks carries” also has a subject–verb agreement error. In “diner portion contains,” the singular noun phrase is incomplete, and the sentence beginning “While the content … is” does not connect smoothly to a main clause. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with spaces before commas or missing spaces after figures. Practise accurate agreement and complete sentence structures, especially when using “while” to compare categories, and proofread punctuation so that the data are easier to follow.
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