Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-03

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.

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

Student answer (Band 5.5)

There are there pie charts which represents the amount of sodium,saturated fat and added sugar in the food that are consumed by Americans in their daily meals.

The highest amount of sodium is used in dinner which is 43% whereas snacks and breakfast have equal amount of sodium.The lowest amount of added sugar is used in breakfast which is 16% whereas 42% added sugar is used in snacks-making it the most added sugar meal. Amount of added sugar used in dinner is 23%, making it the second most added sugar meal.The highest amount of saturated fat is in dinner which is 37% .However, the lowest is in breakfast which is 16% and then comes snacks which are at 21% and then with a little difference comes lunch which is at 26%.

Dinner is the meal which contains the most sodium and saturated fat making it the most unhealthy food .On the other hand breakfast contains the least amount of sodium, saturated fat and added sugar making it the most healthy.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the charts and provided relevant comparisons. You covered all three nutrients and all four meal categories. To improve, ensure you provide a more analytical overview rather than just listing data points. For instance, instead of just stating the percentages, you could group the meals by their nutritional impact more effectively. The summary is clear, but it could benefit from a more distinct 'overview' paragraph that highlights the most significant trends (e.g., dinner being the most nutrient-dense meal across the board) rather than jumping straight into the details.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is logically organized, moving from an introduction to specific data points and a concluding summary. You use some cohesive devices like 'whereas', 'however', and 'on the other hand' to contrast information. However, the paragraphing is quite limited; the body of the report is essentially one large block of text. Breaking this into two distinct paragraphs—perhaps one for sodium and one for sugar/fat—would improve the flow and readability. Additionally, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'the highest amount of...'.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to describe the data, using terms like 'consumed', 'nutrients', and 'percentages'. However, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive, particularly the phrasing 'the highest amount of' and 'the lowest amount of'. To reach a higher band, try to vary your language by using synonyms or different sentence structures to describe the data, such as 'account for', 'comprise', or 'constitute'. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'most added sugar meal', which sounds unnatural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'There are there pie charts which represents' (subject-verb agreement error: 'represent') and 'snacks-making it the most added sugar meal' (awkward phrasing). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after periods in several places. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning, they occur frequently enough to limit your score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring your sentences are punctuated correctly.

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