Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The given pie charts illursates the average percentage of typical meals of three different types of nutrients which is unhealthy if we eat too much.

To commence with the average ratio of three different added sugars in the meals like sodium, saturated fat, or added sugar was consumed by the whole USA.

In the breakfast the sodium was 14% ,added sugar or saturated fat was same in ratio of 16% were taken in the morning time. Whereas, the snack also contain too much sodium as well as added sugar. Nevertheless, the amount of added sugar in the snacks was 42% as compared to saturated fat and sodium .

In the lunch time the people of USA only contained 19 to 26% of total sugar and sodium.

However, the large amount of unhealthy nutrients conusmed by USA individuals was a sodium in dinner time which was the total ratio of 43% .Likewise the use of saturated of added sugar was only 37%.

Overall, the use of sodium in the food is maxium where the rest of saturated fat or added sugar is minimum.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important patterns, including dinner as the largest source of sodium (43%) and snacks as the largest source of added sugar (42%). However, the overview is unclear and partly inaccurate: saying sodium is the maximum while saturated fat and added sugar are minimum does not capture the different meal patterns, and saturated fat is not consistently the lowest. Some comparisons are also imprecise. For example, lunch contains 29% sodium, 26% saturated fat and 19% added sugar, rather than “19 to 26% of total sugar and sodium.” The snack comparison is confused, and the dinner figures for saturated fat and added sugar are not clearly distinguished. Select the main highs and lows for each nutrient and report them accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has some organisation: it moves through breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner, and uses linking expressions such as “Whereas,” “Nevertheless” and “However.” However, the progression is not consistently clear because the discussion shifts between meal categories and nutrients without a stable comparison pattern. The opening body sentence, “the average ratio of three different added sugars … like sodium,” is difficult to follow, and the snack information is repeated in a confusing way. The final overview also does not clearly summarise the chart’s contrasting patterns. Grouping the information by nutrient, or comparing the meals in a consistent order, would make the relationships easier to follow; use fewer, more precise connectors.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is sufficient to name the chart’s main categories, including “sodium,” “saturated fat,” “added sugar” and “percentage.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations make the meaning unclear. For example, “average ratio of three different added sugars” mislabels the three nutrients, while “snack also contain too much sodium” is not a precise description of the data. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “illursates,” “conusmed” and “maxium,” and awkward phrases such as “use of saturated of added sugar.” Aim for accurate chart language such as “accounted for,” “proportion” and “highest share,” and check spelling and word forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some complex sentences, particularly with contrast clauses beginning “Whereas” and “Nevertheless,” but control is inconsistent. Errors in sentence structure and agreement occur in examples such as “The given pie charts illursates” and “the snack also contain.” Several sentences have unclear or incomplete grammatical relationships, including “the average ratio … was consumed by the whole USA” and “the use of saturated of added sugar was only 37%.” Articles and prepositions are also unreliable, as in “a sodium in dinner time.” These problems sometimes make it difficult to identify which nutrient or meal a figure refers to. Practise building clear subject–verb–object sentences first, then add comparisons with correctly formed clauses and consistent punctuation.

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