Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-01

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 pie charts illustrate the average proportion in meals having three types of nutrients. Some of these are not good for human lives if they eaten a too much.

Overall, it is clear that sodium is highly used in the dinner compare to saturated fat and sugar. While, adding the sugar is too much used in snacks and saturated fats are in the dinner. "

To begin with sodium it can cause many unhealthy problems such weekness, bones pains and it gain body fat. Todays sodium widely use in the drinks and cooking ingredients. About 43% sodium highly used in the dinner compare to other nutrients. A lot of people gain their weight due to sodiums ingredients and saturated fat.

On the other hand, use of sugar is also use too much in bakery items. the sugar pie charts shows that approximately 42% sugar added in the snack. High sugar is a root cause of sugar diseases and it's not good for stroke person.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the charts’ subject and report two important peaks accurately: dinner accounts for the largest shares of sodium (43%) and saturated fat (37%), while snacks contain the most added sugar (42%). This gives the response a relevant overview. However, the comparison of saturated fat and sugar is incomplete, and the figures for lunch and breakfast are not discussed. More importantly, several sentences move away from summarising the charts into health claims, such as sodium causing “bones pains” or sugar being a cause of stroke. These claims are not shown by the visual and take space from relevant comparisons. To strengthen the response, describe the relative meal percentages across all three nutrients and keep the report focused on the chart data.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is some organisation: an introduction is followed by an overview and then paragraphs about sodium and sugar. The reader can identify the main topics, and phrases such as “To begin with” and “On the other hand” attempt to guide the progression. However, the overall sequence is not consistently clear: the saturated-fat pattern is mentioned in the overview but not developed, and the final paragraph shifts to general health effects rather than completing the comparisons. Linking is also sometimes inaccurate or awkward, as in “While, adding the sugar…” and “On the other hand,” where the contrast is not clearly established. Organise the body around the chart’s main comparisons and use transitions only when they express a genuine relationship.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “proportion,” “nutrients,” “sodium,” “saturated fat,” and “snacks,” so the subject is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations make the report difficult to read naturally: “highly used,” “sugar is too much used,” and “sodiums ingredients” do not express the chart data accurately. There are also spelling errors such as “weekness” and “Todays.” Aim for precise chart language, especially verbs such as “account for,” “make up,” and “represent,” and check spelling and word forms. Avoid adding loosely related health vocabulary when it does not help describe the figures.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts a few longer structures, including “While…” and “due to…,” but most sentences rely on simple patterns, and attempts at more complex sentences are often faulty. Examples include “if they eaten a too much,” which is missing a verb form and has an incorrect article, and “While, adding the sugar is too much used in snacks,” which has an incomplete clause structure. Other recurring problems include “sodium is highly used,” “the sugar pie charts shows,” and “it's not good for stroke person,” involving verb forms, agreement, and articles. Punctuation also needs attention, particularly the comma after “While” and the stray quotation mark at the end. Practise accurate simple sentences first, then build controlled comparisons using “whereas” and “while.”

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