Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-26
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 show the average percentages of sodium in typical meals of three kind of nutrients, which can be unhealthy if eaten to much.
Overall, there are three type of charts such as a , sodium, saturated fat and added sugar. In all charts, dinner is higher than others, while snack is to much in added sugar and breakfast is lower in sodium.
In sodium, the percentage of dinner is higher 43% , however lunch is 29% which is on second number. The percentage of snack is 14% in sodium, on the other hand, in saturated fat the percentage of snack is 21% which is higher than sodium.
In added sugar, the percentage of snack is 42% which rose in this chart than others. The lunch is 19% in added sugar, while breakfast is 16 % it is lower in this catagerey . Dinner is 23% in added sugar, while it is 37% in saturated fat
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You identify the main pattern that dinner accounts for the largest shares of sodium and saturated fat, and you correctly report several figures, including sodium at 43% for dinner and 29% for lunch, and added sugar at 42% for snacks. However, the overview is unclear and partly inaccurate: dinner is not the highest category in all three charts, because snacks lead for added sugar. The claim that breakfast is lowest in sodium is also incomplete, since breakfast and snacks are tied at 14%. Coverage is limited: the saturated-fat figures for breakfast and lunch are omitted, and comparisons across all three nutrients are not developed. A clearer overview and more balanced selection of key comparisons would make the summary more complete and precise.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details about sodium and added sugar. Some linking is attempted through phrases such as “however” and “on the other hand,” and the reader can follow the general topic. Nevertheless, progression is uneven: the overview says dinner is highest “in all charts,” then later the response notes that snacks have the largest added-sugar share. The discussion also jumps between nutrients without a consistent comparison plan, and the saturated-fat chart receives only a brief reference. Several links are awkward or repetitive. Grouping the information by meal or by nutrient, and using clear comparisons to connect the figures, would improve the flow.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use relevant chart vocabulary such as “percentage,” “dinner,” “lunch,” and “added sugar,” so the topic is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which makes parts of the report unclear. For example, “three kind of nutrients” confuses the nutrients with the charts, while “snack is to much in added sugar” and “which rose in this chart than others” do not express the comparison naturally. “On second number” is also an unsuitable way to describe a ranking. Check spelling and word forms, including “category,” and use precise reporting language such as “accounted for,” “was the highest,” and “compared with.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response attempts some longer sentences, including comparisons joined with “while” and “however,” but most structures are simple and several are not controlled accurately. Examples include “three kind of charts,” where the noun form and agreement are faulty, and “Overall, there are three type of charts such as a, sodium…,” which has an incomplete and confusing construction. In “The lunch is 19% in added sugar, while breakfast is 16% it is lower,” the clauses are joined without clear punctuation or structure. Articles, plurals, and sentence boundaries also need attention. Practise writing one clear sentence for each comparison, using accurate forms such as “Dinner accounts for 43% of sodium intake, compared with 29% at lunch.”
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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