Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-17

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 gives information about the average proportions in three kinds of nutrients in meal , which may be unhealthy if they are taken in excess.

Overall, breakfast consumes relatively low proportion of nutrients, among all the types of meals.

Sodium and saturated fats are consumed highly in dinner with ratio of 43% and 37% respectively, while the number for lunch is 29% and 26%. Sodium is lesser counsumed in snack on the other hand, in saturated fats it is just for 21%. The ratio of lunch for both categories were seen slighlty difference of about 3%. And it is difference of 2% in breakfast for sodium and saturated fats which were 14% and 16%.

Added sugar accounts in meals were highly added in snack with ratio of 42% and followed by dinner which is 23%. Breakfast contribute 16% which is same as in saturated fats. Lunch added number of percentage of about 19%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main pattern that dinner accounts for the largest shares of sodium and saturated fat, and you correctly report several key figures, including 43% and 37% for dinner and 42% for added sugar in snacks. The response also covers all three nutrients. However, the overview is too broad: breakfast is not consistently the lowest, since snacks have the lowest sodium share too, and added sugar is highest in snacks. Some comparisons are unclear or inaccurate, such as saying the lunch figures for sodium and saturated fat differ by about 3% when they differ by 3 percentage points, and the sentence about sodium in snacks does not state its value. A clearer overview of the contrasting snack pattern would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction and overview are followed by details on sodium and saturated fat, then added sugar. This gives the reader a generally coherent route through the information, and linking words such as “while,” “on the other hand,” and “followed by” help show comparisons. However, some connections are mechanical or unclear. For example, “The ratio of lunch for both categories were seen slighlty difference” does not clearly explain the comparison, and the transition to added sugar could better signal that its pattern differs from the other nutrients. Grouping the figures more systematically and using clearer references to each nutrient would improve progression and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “proportions,” “accounts,” “ratio,” and “contribute,” and the reader can usually understand the comparisons you intend. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “breakfast consumes,” “consumed highly,” “lesser counsumed,” and “added sugar accounts in meals were highly added.” Spelling errors such as “slighlty” and “counsumed” also reduce control. Aim for precise reporting verbs and natural phrases for proportions, for example, “accounted for,” “was highest in,” and “the share for snacks.” This would make the description more fluent and accurate without requiring more complex vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and longer sentences, including comparisons with “while” and “on the other hand,” but grammatical control is uneven. The opening has subject–verb disagreement in “The pie charts gives,” and “in meal” lacks an appropriate plural form and article. In “The ratio of lunch for both categories were seen,” the subject and verb do not agree, and the sentence structure makes the intended comparison difficult to follow. There are also problems with sentence construction in “Breakfast contribute 16%” and “Lunch added number of percentage of about 19%.” Work on agreement, articles, plural nouns, and building complete, direct comparison sentences. More accurate control of these patterns would make your meaning consistently clear.

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