Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The circles below represent the average percentages in typical meals of three types of nutrients in the USA.

When we overview , we see a lot of sodium in dinner .However , the saturated fat be in the dinner with a number not lower a lot than the sodium ; but ,the added sugar be with a big number in snacks .

In the breakfast , the big number is 16% and we see it in the added sugar and saturated fat , but we see a number not lower that much than those and it is 14%.Now we talk about the snack , the big percentage 42% go fo the added sugar and we see the half of this percentage is the saturated fat , the lowest of course go for the sodium with 14%.

For the lunch , he have the medium percentage in the three types of nutrients ;19% in added sugar , 26% in saturated fat and 29% in sodium. For the dinner , he have the big number in the sodium 43% and 37% in saturated fat but he have a medium percentage in the added sugar with 23% .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main patterns: dinner has the highest shares of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks account for the largest share of added sugar. You also report many figures accurately, including 43% sodium at dinner, 37% saturated fat at dinner, and 42% added sugar in snacks. However, the overview is brief and some comparisons are unclear or imprecise. For example, calling lunch “the medium percentage in the three types” does not explain that lunch is second-highest for sodium and saturated fat, but below dinner and snacks for added sugar. The claim that saturated fat in snacks is “the half” of added sugar is also inaccurate: 21% is half of 42%, but this comparison would be clearer stated directly. A more selective, precise overview and clearer comparisons would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic sequence, moving from an overview to breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner, and this helps the reader locate the information. However, the organisation does not develop a clear overall progression: the overview is followed by meal-by-meal details without grouping the strongest comparisons or consistently linking each point. Connectors such as “However,” “but” and “For” are used, yet some links are awkward or repetitive, and punctuation around them makes the flow harder to follow. The breakfast and snack information, for instance, is joined into one long passage, while lunch and dinner are presented in another. Use distinct paragraphs for the overview and details, and organise the body around meaningful comparisons, with clear references to each nutrient and meal.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “average percentages,” “nutrients,” “sodium,” “saturated fat” and “added sugar,” so the topic is generally understandable. However, the range for describing data is limited, and several phrases are unnatural or imprecise, such as “the big number,” “a number not lower a lot” and “the lowest of course go for.” Repeating “big number” and “percentage” also makes the account less precise. Aim for standard reporting language such as “accounted for,” “highest share,” “lowest proportion” and “was slightly lower.” Check collocations and word forms as well: “go fo” appears to be a spelling slip, and “the dinner” is not the natural way to refer to dinner in this context. More varied, accurate data vocabulary would make comparisons easier to understand.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to combine ideas using contrast and comparison, but sentence structures are limited and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to follow. Examples include “the saturated fat be in the dinner,” “the added sugar be with a big number,” and “For the lunch, he have,” where verb forms and agreement are incorrect. The long sentence beginning “In the breakfast” also joins several ideas without clear sentence boundaries. Articles and punctuation are inconsistent, as in “When we overview ,” and spaces appear incorrectly around commas and full stops. Practise accurate present-tense forms such as “is/has,” and use shorter, complete sentences before attempting more complex comparisons. Clear sentence boundaries and consistent punctuation will improve readability.

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