Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-29
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 pis charts compare the average proportion of sodium,saturated fats and added sugars in four types of meals in the USA.
Overall,it can be clearly seen that out of all meals dinner consumed most of the nutrients followed by the lunch.While,in case of saturated fat and added sugar snaks overtake lunch.
In dinner,the average percentage of sodium is 43% followed by the lunch which stands at 29 percent but in case of saturated fat and added sugar the proportion becomes 37% and 23%, respectively.Breakfast consumed 14% of sodium while levelled off in saturated fat and added sugar.
14 percent od sodium is present in snacks .This percentage rise in saturated fat and become 21% and jump to 42% in case of added sugar which is its highest percentage in all of nutrients.In lunch,26% saturated fat and 19% added sugar is consumed.Most of the nutrients are consumed in dinner while breakfast consumed the least.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You identify the main pattern that dinner has the largest shares of sodium and saturated fat, and you include several accurate figures, such as sodium at 43% for dinner and 29% for lunch. You also note the contrasting peak for added sugar in snacks. However, the overview is partly inaccurate: snacks do not overtake lunch for saturated fat (21% versus 26%), and dinner is not the largest meal category for every nutrient. Breakfast is the lowest for sodium and saturated fat, but not for added sugar. The response also contains 146 words, below the 150-word minimum. To strengthen coverage, report the key contrasts accurately and include the breakfast figures for added sugar.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details about dinner, snacks and lunch. This gives the reader some organisation, and linking phrases such as “followed by” and “while” help show comparisons. However, progression is not consistently clear: the overview repeats a broad claim at the end, and the details move between meal categories without a fully systematic pattern. Some links are awkward or misleading, particularly “While,in case of saturated fat and added sugar snaks overtake lunch,” which obscures the comparison. Use separate, clearly organised paragraphs and group the figures by nutrient or meal, with accurate transitions and less repetition.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “average proportion,” “percentage,” “followed by” and “highest,” so the topic is generally clear. There are also attempts to vary expression, such as “stands at” and “rise.” However, the range is limited and several spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision: “pis charts,” “snaks,” and “od” are noticeable, while “levelled off” is not suitable for describing the breakfast figures. “Consumed” is also an awkward choice for percentages of nutrients in meals. Aim for accurate terms such as “accounted for” or “made up,” and check spelling carefully. More precise comparison language would help distinguish the nutrient shares without relying repeatedly on “percentage.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including comparisons with “while” and “followed by,” and the main meaning is usually recoverable. However, control is inconsistent, with frequent errors in sentence boundaries, punctuation and sentence construction. For example, “Overall,it can be clearly seen…” lacks a space after the comma, while “While,in case of saturated fat and added sugar snaks overtake lunch” is an incomplete and awkwardly joined construction. The sentence beginning “Breakfast consumed 14% of sodium while levelled off…” also lacks a clear subject for the second clause. Use complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check comma placement and spacing. A wider range will be useful once these basic structures are more reliable.
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