Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-03

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 pie chart illustrate average percentage of sodium, added sugar and saturated fats in the usuall meals in USA.

Snack hold a greater percentage of added sugar which is 42% following the dinner which is 23%. least amount is present in breakfast which is 16%. Lunch contain 19% of added sugar. Sodium is present in dinner in it higher amount 43% following the lunch which is 29% whereas it is 14% both in snacks and breakfast

Saturated fats are in highest proportion in dinner which make 37% of it following by luch and snack 26 and 21 percent respectively. The least amount of saturated fats is in breakfast contributing 16% of it.

Snack contain more amount of added sugar as compared to sodium and saturated fats. However, Sodium is in greater proportion in dinner relative to other nutrients

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You report several key figures accurately, including added sugar in snacks (42%), sodium at dinner (43%), and saturated fat at dinner (37%). You also identify the main contrast that snacks have the highest added-sugar share, while dinner leads for sodium and saturated fat. However, the response has no clear introductory overview of the overall pattern, and the final comparison is limited; for example, it does not clearly summarise that breakfast is the lowest meal for saturated fat and added sugar, or that sodium is tied between breakfast and snacks. The response is also 12 words below the required minimum. Develop a concise overview and explain the most important contrasts more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The information is arranged in a generally understandable order: you discuss added sugar first, then sodium, and finally saturated fat, before making a brief comparison. This gives the reader a basic route through the data. However, the response is presented as one continuous block rather than clearly separated into an introduction, overview and detail paragraphs. Some links are also mechanical or unclear, particularly the repeated use of “following” and the transition into “However” in the final sentence. Grouping the figures into paragraphs and using clearer comparisons—such as “by contrast” or “while”—would make the progression more deliberate. Overall, the organisation is coherent, though cohesion and paragraphing are not consistently controlled.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “percentage,” “proportion,” “highest,” and “least amount,” and the reader can generally understand which nutrient and meal you mean. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “Snack hold a greater percentage,” “in it higher amount,” and “following by.” Spelling errors such as “usuall” and “luch” also reduce accuracy. Try to use precise reporting phrases consistently, for example, “accounted for,” “was highest in,” and “was followed by.” Avoid repeating “amount” when describing percentages; “share” or “proportion” is more suitable. These improvements would make the description clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response mainly uses simple statements and attempts some longer comparisons, but grammatical control is inconsistent. For example, “The pie chart illustrate” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “Snack hold” and “Lunch contain” also need singular verb forms. The sentence “Sodium is present in dinner in it higher amount 43% following the lunch” is difficult to follow because its clauses and comparison are not properly formed. Articles and sentence boundaries are also often missing, and the final comparison would benefit from a complete, clearly punctuated sentence. Practise accurate simple structures first, then combine them with controlled clauses using “while” or “whereas.” A wider range is attempted, but frequent errors currently affect clarity.

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