Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-11-11

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.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 4.5)

As we can see on the pie chart the percentages of sodium , saturated fats and added sugars in typical meals consumed in the USA .as show here the sodium is at the highes in the dinner where it says it is abouth 43% an average usa citizen consumed hinges amoint of sodium , saturated fats and added sugars in the dinner time and it is mainly becose thair dinner consist a carbonated juice and or a more fatty meails and the quantity of this meals are large so it is a risk for the healt maily a saturated fat is a main consern for the hart decises caused in usa

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response3.5
Coherence and Cohesion4.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy4.5
Overall4.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response identifies one relevant feature: sodium is highest at dinner, at 43%. However, it does not summarise the charts as a whole or compare the three nutrients across meals. Important patterns are omitted, such as added sugar peaking in snacks at 42%, while dinner has the highest sodium and saturated fat. Instead, the response speculates that dinner includes carbonated juice and fatty meals, which the charts do not show. The task is also under the required 150 words, leaving too little space to report the main features. To improve, give a clear overview, select key comparisons from all three charts, and avoid explanations unsupported by the data.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is a basic attempt to introduce the chart and then focus on dinner, so the reader can identify the general subject. However, the response is essentially one long, loosely connected sentence, with no clear progression from an overview to supporting comparisons. The repeated linking of ideas with “and” makes the explanation difficult to follow, and the shift from chart data to claims about meal contents and health is abrupt. Organise the response into short paragraphs: introduce the charts, state the main patterns, then compare selected figures. Use clear links such as “By contrast” or “Meanwhile” to show how the meal categories differ.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some task-relevant vocabulary, including “percentages,” “sodium,” “saturated fats,” and “added sugars,” which helps establish the topic. However, the range is limited, and several spelling and word-choice errors make parts difficult to understand, for example “highes,” “abouth,” “hinges amoint,” and “hart decises.” Phrases such as “at the dinner time” and “a more fatty meails” are also not natural or precise. Focus on accurate chart language and concise comparisons rather than speculative descriptions. Useful terms include “accounted for,” “highest proportion,” “followed by,” and “whereas”; check spelling carefully before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts to combine ideas using clauses, as in “the sodium is at the highes in the dinner where it says…,” but sentence control is weak and the meaning becomes unclear in places. There are problems with sentence boundaries and punctuation, including the opening fragment-like construction and the run-on sequence after “43%.” Articles and agreement are also unreliable, as in “a saturated fat is a main consern,” while the sentence about what a citizen “consumed” does not form a clear grammatical pattern. Use shorter, complete sentences first, then add controlled comparisons. For example: “Sodium accounts for 43% at dinner, the highest figure for this nutrient.”

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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