Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-20
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 illustrates the information about the proportion of three type nutrients such as sodium, saturated fat and added suger in daily foods comsumed by USA and this foods are not healthy. Overall, what stands out from the charts is that, people mostly take this type of meals in dinner time and in the breakfast they comsume less of this foods.
Form the charts it can be seen that, meals which has more salty people liked to eat in their dinner time which is highest in amount at 43%. Where in the morning and snacks time they take this type of less amout only 14% which is very lower. And 29% of salt added foods are people eat in lunch time. Another food item which has fats similarly people mostly take in dinner that is 37% and in lunch take 26% which is almosy 20% lower. In the morning public only take 16% of this foods and slightly higher in snacks time that is 21%.
Moreover, extra sugar foods are highly comsumed by people in snacks time that is 42% and at dinner time they have 23% which is less more than 20%. Least amount of this meals take by public in morning but in lunch time it rate are increase little at 19%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5
You identify the main patterns and support them with relevant figures: sodium and saturated fat peak at dinner (43% and 37%), while added sugar is highest in snacks (42%). You also compare meal categories, including the equal 14% sodium shares at breakfast and snacks. This gives the report a clear overview and covers the three nutrients. However, the overview says people consume the nutrients least at breakfast, which is not true across all three charts: added sugar is lowest at breakfast, but sodium is equally low at snacks, and saturated fat is lowest at breakfast. Some comparisons are also unclear, such as “less more than 20%.” More precise summaries of the contrasting peaks and lows would make the key features more fully developed.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction and overview are followed by paragraphs on sodium and saturated fat, then added sugar. This grouping helps the reader follow the chart categories, and transitions such as “Moreover” signal a move to the final nutrient. However, progression within sentences is sometimes difficult to follow, particularly in “Where in the morning and snacks time they take this type of less amount only 14%” and “Least amount of this meals take by public in morning.” Several links, including “And” and “Where,” feel mechanical or do not clearly connect the comparison. Use complete comparison sentences and refer consistently to the meal categories; this would make the organisation more fluent and the relationships between figures clearer.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “proportion,” “highest,” “consumed,” and “amount,” and the reader can generally identify which nutrient and meal you mean. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are unnatural, such as “salty people liked to eat,” “in dinner time,” and “this type of meals.” Spelling errors—including “suger,” “comsumed,” and “almosy”—also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise, neutral reporting language rather than describing what people “liked”: for example, say that a nutrient “accounted for” a percentage of intake in a meal. More accurate collocations and careful spelling would make the comparisons easier to understand.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, control of sentence structure and agreement is inconsistent. For example, “The pie charts illustrates” has a plural subject with a singular verb, while “meals which has” also mismatches subject and verb. Some clauses are incomplete or awkwardly joined, as in “Where in the morning and snacks time…” and “And 29% of salt added foods are people eat…”. Articles, plurals, and word order also need attention. Practise building clear comparison sentences with a subject and verb—for instance, “At lunch, sodium accounts for 29%”—and use a wider range of structures only when you can control them accurately.
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