Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-13

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 illustrates the proportion of sodium, saturated fat and sugar in meals consumed in the USA.

Overall, the major contribution comes from dinner in sodium and saturated fat while in snacks dominated in sugar added meals. Whereas, breakfast makes the smallest contribution in every category.

To begin with, the dominant sector was dinner contributing 43% and 37% to the total of sodium and saturated fat. Furthermore, snacks and breakfast contribute same of the total of sodium which was 14% whereas, in saturated fat snacks and breakfast constitute 21% and 16% respectively. Lunch made up 29% in sodium and 26% in saturated fat.

In contrast, snacks were the highest proportion of sugar meals, which represented 42%. While, breakfast contributed the lowest proportion of sugar-added meals. In addition, lunch accounted at 19%. While, dinner dominated lunch at 23%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the ability to fully develop the analysis. While you have identified the main features and made some comparisons, the under-length nature of the response means the overview and supporting details are somewhat truncated. To improve, ensure you expand on the data points and provide a more comprehensive summary of the trends. The report covers all three nutrients, but the lack of sufficient length prevents a more thorough exploration of the data, leading to a lower score for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'To begin with,' 'Furthermore,' and 'In contrast.' However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel slightly abrupt. The referencing is generally clear, but the progression of ideas could be smoother. The use of cohesive devices is adequate for a basic level of organization, but more variety and sophisticated linking would be needed for a higher band. Ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus to improve the overall logical progression.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the data, such as 'proportion,' 'contribution,' 'constitute,' and 'accounted for.' However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'sugar added meals' instead of 'sugar-added meals' or 'sugar in meals.' The vocabulary is generally functional and allows the reader to understand the data, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Expanding your range of academic collocations and ensuring correct word forms will help improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'The pie charts illustrates' (subject-verb agreement), 'snacks dominated in sugar added meals' (preposition error), and 'contribute same of the total' (missing article/determiner). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions. Increasing the variety of error-free complex sentences will also help you achieve a higher band score.

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

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