Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-25

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 compares the average porportions of sodium, saturated fats and added sugars in unusal meals consumed in the United State of America. Overall, the highest percentage of sodium used for typical dinner. Similarly, saturated fat accounted for the highest percentage in dinner as well. In contrast,snacks contained the highest porportion of added sugar.

Towars with sodium consumption, dinner accounted for the largest percentage 43% fo;;owed by lunch at 29%. While, the percentage for snacks and breakfast remained stable qat 14% in both meals. Following this, 37% dinners made from saturated fat, lunch carried for 26%. Whereas, snacks contained 21% of fat , a small quanity was added in morning meals.

Turning to added sugar, snanks noticed a highest percentage for added sugar had 42% of added sugar, after that, dinner meals consist of 23%.16% of sugar included in breakfast food and

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main contrast accurately: dinner has the largest shares of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks lead for added sugar. Several figures are also reported correctly, including sodium at 43% for dinner and 29% for lunch, and added sugar at 42% for snacks. However, the response is incomplete: the final sentence stops after “and”, and the added-sugar figures for lunch and the remaining comparison are not fully covered. The overview is relevant but brief, and some details are unclear, such as “37% dinners made from saturated fat.” The response is 135 words, below the required 150-word minimum; the eight words copied from the prompt are excluded from the count. Develop the comparisons and complete the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an opening overview is followed by paragraphs on sodium and saturated fat, then added sugar. This gives the reader a basic route through the information. However, progression is weakened by abrupt or incomplete links, especially the final sentence ending “and”, which leaves the last comparison unfinished. Some connectors are used mechanically or incorrectly: “While” and “Whereas” introduce fragments rather than complete contrasts, and “Following this” does not clearly show the relationship between the nutrient categories. Improve cohesion by grouping related figures in complete sentences and using clear comparisons, such as contrasting dinner’s 23% of added sugar with snacks’ 42%.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “percentage”, “accounted for”, “consumption” and “contained”, and the reader can generally identify the nutrient categories and meals. However, the range is limited and several inaccurate or misspelled choices make the report less clear: “unusal meals”, “porportions”, “Towars”, “snanks” and “quan ity” (quantity) are examples. Some collocations are also unnatural, such as “37% dinners made from saturated fat” and “snacks noticed a highest percentage”. Choose precise chart language, for example “the share of saturated fat was 37% at dinner” and “snacks accounted for 42% of added sugar”. Careful proofreading would reduce spelling errors and improve clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

There are attempts to use more than simple statements, but control is inconsistent, and several sentence patterns are incomplete or faulty. The opening says “The pie charts compares”, where the plural subject requires a plural verb. “Overall, the highest percentage of sodium used for typical dinner” lacks a main verb, while “While, the percentage…” and “Whereas, snacks…” are fragments. The final sentence is also unfinished. Articles and sentence boundaries need attention, as in “in dinner” and “23%.16%”. Use complete clauses with clear subjects and verbs, and check agreement and punctuation. For example: “Dinner accounted for the highest share of sodium, at 43%.”

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