Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-28

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)

These chart explains the average percentages in custom meals of three types of nutrients. In pie chart sodium is present in highest 43% in dinner on the other hand a minimum amount of sodium is taken in breakfast and in snack time. Dinner is enriched of saturated fat with 37% with its intermediate amount is also present in snack and lunch time. In snack time highest % of added sugar have been observed. Additionally lowest percentage is present in breakfast. If we compare sodium and saturated fats pie charts, a maximum nutrients are present in dinner ranges from 43 to 37%. Smallest segment of all three nutrients has been seen during breakfast meal. Snacks contains highest percentage of added sugar along with some saturated fat. Sodium is present in largest in amount than other nutrients in lunch meal. Average percentage of minerals remains same throughout breakfast with minimum 16% than other segments.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important patterns, including dinner as the largest source of sodium and saturated fat, and snacks as the largest source of added sugar. However, the report only partly covers the data: it gives few exact figures beyond the main peaks and does not clearly compare all meal categories. The claim that the “smallest segment of all three nutrients” is at breakfast is inaccurate, since added sugar is lowest at breakfast (16%), but sodium is equally low at breakfast and snacks (14%). The final sentence about minerals is also unsupported; the charts show nutrients, not minerals, and breakfast is not uniformly 16%. A clearer overview and more accurate, selective comparisons would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response moves from individual nutrients to comparisons, and linking phrases such as “on the other hand,” “Additionally,” and “If we compare” show an attempt to connect ideas. However, the information is presented as one continuous paragraph, with no clear overview separated from supporting details. The progression is also difficult to follow: the discussion shifts between dinner, snacks, breakfast, and lunch without a consistent comparison pattern. Some links are repetitive or do not clarify the relationship between points, and “with its intermediate amount” is hard to interpret. Organise the report into an overview followed by grouped comparisons, and use references that make each comparison explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “percentage,” “segment,” “highest,” and “minimum,” so the reader can generally understand the topic. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, which limits precision: “custom meals” does not describe the chart’s typical meals, “dinner is enriched of saturated fat” is not idiomatic, and “minerals” mislabels the nutrients. Repeated use of “present” and “amount” also makes the description less flexible. Choose standard terms such as “accounts for,” “proportion,” and “contribution,” and use the chart’s exact categories consistently. More accurate collocations would make the comparisons clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple statements and longer comparisons, but control is uneven, and errors in sentence structure and agreement sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. For example, “These chart explains” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “with its intermediate amount is also present” combines clauses incorrectly. “A maximum nutrients are present” also has faulty agreement and article use. Several sentences rely on similar basic patterns, so the range is limited despite attempts to connect ideas. Practise building clear comparative sentences, checking singular and plural subjects, and separating clauses with appropriate conjunctions or punctuation. This would improve accuracy without sacrificing the comparisons you are trying to make.

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

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