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 three pie charts illustrate the proportions of the three types of nutrients: sodium, saturated fat and added sugar in typical meals intake in the USA. At a glance, it shows it may be healthy if eaten excessive.
Regarding sodium, dinner has responsible for 43% and lunch represents 29%. Breakfast and snacks both have equal proportion is 14%. In addition, saturated fat it has also highest proportion 37%. Lunch and snacks make up 21% and 26% respectively. The lowest percentage constituted by breakfast 16%.
In terms of added sugar, snacks is becoming the largest proportion, which comprise 42%, dinner is consumed less in terms of added sugar and it represent only 23%. Eventually, breakfast and snacks both account for 16% and 19%.
Overall, sodium account for the highest percentage of dinner intake whereas, for added sugar people are more prefer to consume snacks rather than any other nutrients. By contrast, in saturated fat and added sugar both have same intake.
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 charts and identifies key features, such as the high proportion of sodium in dinner and sugar in snacks. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, cohesive overview. The introductory sentence contains a significant error regarding the health implications ('it may be healthy if eaten excessive'), which misinterprets the prompt's premise. While the main features are reported, the comparison between categories is occasionally confusing, particularly in the final paragraph where the summary of the data is contradictory and unclear. To improve, ensure that the overview synthesizes the data rather than just listing figures, and double-check the accuracy of your statements against the provided charts.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, the transition 'Eventually, breakfast and snacks both account for 16% and 19%' is misused, as 'eventually' implies a sequence of time rather than a list of data. Furthermore, the final paragraph lacks logical progression, and the concluding sentence is confusingly phrased, making it difficult to follow the writer's intended comparison. Improving the variety and precision of linking words (e.g., 'conversely', 'in contrast', 'similarly') would significantly enhance the flow of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe the data points clearly. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'dinner has responsible for' instead of 'dinner is responsible for' and 'people are more prefer to consume' instead of 'people prefer to consume'. These errors occasionally impede the natural flow of the text. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive sentence structures. Expanding the range of reporting verbs and nouns would also help demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('sodium account for', 'saturated fat it has also'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward sentence construction. While these errors do not completely prevent the reader from understanding the data, they occur frequently enough to distract from the content. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, particularly ensuring that subjects and verbs agree and that auxiliary verbs are used correctly. Proofreading for these fundamental errors would help elevate the accuracy of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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