Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-19

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 chart illustrates the average proportions in typical meals of three types of nutrients: Sodium, Saturated fat, Added sugar which may be unhealthy if eaten too much.

From an overall perspective, Sodium aquire largest proportion in dinner meals and lowest in snacks and breakfast other than; however Saturated fat has same in as dinner and lowest in breakfast , while Added sugar accounted in snacks meals more adaption and breakfast low.

To begin with, Sodium accounted for 43% in dinner meals the higest and lunch aquires second-higest with 29%, while snacks and breakfast have equal proportions. On the other hand, Saturated fat has the same sequence with high intake in late evening meals with around 37% and 26% in lunch snacks and breakfast has 21% and 16%.

Furthermore, Added sugar has more nutrients representing the highest value in lunch meals with 42% and 23% in dinner meals, while lunch accounted for 19% the lowest value is in breakfast with around 16%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the three nutrients and report several relevant figures, including sodium at 43% for dinner and 29% for lunch, and saturated fat at 37% for dinner. However, important comparisons are unclear or inaccurate: added sugar is highest in snacks at 42%, not lunch, and its lowest share is breakfast at 16%. The overview also misstates saturated fat as having the same pattern as sodium, although its snack share is higher than breakfast. These errors weaken the summary of the main features, and some figures are difficult to interpret because meal labels are mixed up. The response is also 145 words, below the required 150, so it does not fully meet the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two detail paragraphs. Sequencing with phrases such as “To begin with” and “Furthermore” helps signal movement between nutrients. However, progression within paragraphs is not always clear, particularly in the saturated-fat sentence, where “26% in lunch snacks and breakfast has 21% and 16%” makes the comparisons hard to follow. The overview also combines several claims in one sentence, with unclear links between them. Use one paragraph for the overview and organise each detail paragraph around a clear comparison, naming each meal alongside its figure. This would make the information easier to track and reduce reliance on mechanical transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant terms, including “average proportions,” “accounted for,” and “proportions,” and the nutrient and meal labels are generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations make the meaning difficult to understand. For example, “more adaption” does not express the intended comparison, and “has more nutrients” is unsuitable for describing a percentage share. There are also spelling errors such as “aquire,” “higest,” and “second-higest,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for precise chart language such as “accounted for the largest share,” “was highest,” and “represented.” Check spelling carefully and avoid using “nutrients” when referring to the proportion of a particular nutrient.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, using contrast markers such as “while” and “however.” Nevertheless, complex sentences are often faulty, and errors frequently make relationships between figures unclear. In “Sodium aquire largest proportion,” the sentence lacks an appropriate verb form and article; “Saturated fat has the same sequence with high intake” also has an unclear grammatical structure. Punctuation and spacing are inconsistent, including the comma before “while” and spaces before commas. Build accuracy with clear subject–verb patterns, for example, “Sodium accounted for 43% of dinner intake, while breakfast and snacks each made up 14%.” Then add complexity only when the comparison remains grammatically controlled.

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