Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-06
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)
The pie charts illustrate the proportion of sodium, saturated fats and added sugars in typical meals consumed in the USA, these can be harmful if consume too much.
Overall, Dinner accounted for the largest proportion in sodium and saturated fat; snacks accounted highest in Added sugar, while breakfast contributes smallest share in every sector.
To initiate with, Dinner contribute 43%% in sodium and 37% in saturated fat, making it largest category. This figure fall to 23% in added sugar. Breakfast accounted ,14% in sodium; 16% in saturated fat; 16% in added sugar, the lowest proportion among all charts.
however, Lunch contribute: 29% in sodium, 16% in Saturated fat and 19% in added sugar. In term of added sugar snakes contribute the highest proportion and it is 42%, while only 14% accounted in sodium which is the lowest in sodium as well as 21 % accounted in saturated fat which is moderately average percentage.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all three nutrients and identifies the main trends, such as dinner being the primary source of sodium and saturated fat, and snacks being the highest for added sugar. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, listing percentages without sufficient synthesis or comparison. For example, while you mention that breakfast contributes the smallest share, you could have more effectively highlighted the contrast between the high sugar content in snacks versus the low sugar content in breakfast. The overview is present but could be more clearly integrated to highlight the most significant differences across the three meal types.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes awkward or mechanical, such as 'To initiate with' and 'In term of'. There are also issues with punctuation and referencing; for instance, the sentence 'Breakfast accounted ,14% in sodium' contains a stray comma, and the transition between sentences is occasionally abrupt. While the overall progression is logical, the flow is hindered by these minor errors in linking and punctuation, which prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to convey the necessary information about percentages and nutrients. However, there are several inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as 'snakes' instead of 'snacks', and 'moderately average percentage', which is redundant. You rely on a limited range of descriptive verbs like 'contribute' and 'accounted'. To improve, you should aim for more precise collocations and a wider variety of reporting verbs to describe the data, such as 'comprise', 'constitute', or 'represent', rather than repeating the same terms throughout the text.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('Dinner contribute', 'Lunch contribute'), incorrect verb tenses ('This figure fall'), and inconsistent punctuation (e.g., the stray comma in 'accounted ,14%'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. To reach a higher band, you need to focus on consistent subject-verb agreement and ensure that your sentence structures are punctuated correctly.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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