Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-22

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 circular pie chart illustrates the average proportion in typical meals of three type of nutrients,all of which may be unhealthy if eaten too much.

Overall, it is evident that there were categories throughout the given time period as dinner in sodium the dominant categoeries,where as breakfast in added sugar accounted for the smallest figure.furthermore,the remaining category in snack in saturated fat.

To commence, looking first at the highest categories dinner and lunch in sodium recorded the greatest figure at 43% snd 29%,followed by breakfast in saturated fat which stood at 16% .Although both categories accounted for significant proportion then was approximately 16%,By camprision , snack and lunch in saturted fat a more moderate value of 21%and 26%making it considerably lower than two leading categories .

Moving ahead , turning to the remaining category snack in added sugar recorded only 42% while lunch in added sugar accounted the smallest figure 19%.the remaining categories is dinner in added sugar which stood at 23% respectively .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify some important figures, including sodium at dinner (43%) and lunch (29%), and the high share of added sugar in snacks (42%). However, the overview is unclear and includes an unsupported claim that breakfast for added sugar was the smallest category; it was tied with breakfast for saturated fat at 16%, while sodium at breakfast and snacks was lower at 14%. Several comparisons are also incomplete or confusing, and the final paragraph mislabels 42% as “only” and does not clearly compare all meal types. To improve, give a concise overview of the main contrasts, then report accurate figures systematically across the three nutrients. The response addresses the chart only partially because some key features are misreported or underdeveloped.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is an attempt to organise the response into an introduction, overview and two detail paragraphs, and phrases such as “Overall” and “Moving ahead” signal transitions. However, the progression within paragraphs is difficult to follow: the second paragraph moves from sodium to saturated fat without a clear organising principle, while the last paragraph repeats “remaining category” and presents the added-sugar figures in a confusing order. Some linking expressions, including “Although” and “By comparison,” do not clearly connect the ideas that follow them. Group the information by nutrient or by meal, and use transitions only where they show a precise relationship. Clearer paragraph focus and more accurate referencing would make the organisation easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some task-relevant vocabulary, including “proportion,” “accounted for,” “recorded,” and “stood at,” showing an attempt to describe chart data. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms make the meaning awkward, such as “categories throughout the given time period” for a chart with no time period, “dominant categoeries,” and “remaining category.” Spelling errors such as “camprision” and “saturted” are noticeable, and “only 42%” is an unsuitable description of the largest added-sugar share. Aim for precise terms such as “share,” “highest,” and “lowest,” and check spelling and collocations. This would make the data descriptions clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of sentence forms, including a relative clause in the opening and a comparison introduced by “Although.” However, complex sentences are often faulty, and errors frequently make relationships between figures difficult to understand. For example, “Overall, it is evident that there were categories throughout the given time period as dinner in sodium the dominant…” lacks a clear grammatical structure, while “the remaining categories is dinner” has a subject–verb agreement error. There are also missing spaces after punctuation and inconsistent sentence boundaries. Practise building clear subject–verb sentences first, then add comparisons with correctly formed clauses. Accurate punctuation and agreement would help readers follow your intended meaning.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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