Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-14
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 compare the average proportion of sodium, saturated fats and added sugar in four types of meals consumed in the USA.
Overall, it can be seen that dinner recorded the highest intake of sodium and saturated fats, while the snacks accounted for largest portion of added sugar. It is also noticeable that breakfast contain smallest amounts of sodium, saturated fats and added sugar.
Sodium and saturated fats accounted for 43% and 37% in dinner, making it the highest category, in contrast to the breakfast which stood at 14% and 16%. Sodium had 29% share in lunch, whereas saturated fats accounted for 26%. Snacks had 14% sodium and 37% saturated fats.
Regarding added sugar, 42% recorded snacks, in contrast to the breakfast which contain only 16%. 19% added sugar present in lunch and 23% consumed in dinner.
In conclusion
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you have successfully identified the main features and made relevant comparisons, the abrupt ending ('In conclusion') indicates an incomplete response. To improve, ensure you provide a full concluding summary that synthesizes the data rather than leaving the sentence unfinished. You have covered the key trends, such as dinner being the highest for sodium and saturated fats, but the lack of a completed conclusion prevents a higher band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'in contrast to' and 'whereas' to link ideas. However, the paragraphing is disrupted by the incomplete conclusion. To reach a higher band, ensure that all paragraphs are fully developed and that transitions between sentences are smoother. The current structure is functional but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands due to the unfinished nature of the final section.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'intake', and 'accounted for'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and repetitive phrasing. For example, 'breakfast contain smallest amounts' lacks the necessary article 'the'. The vocabulary is generally sufficient to convey the meaning, but it lacks the variety and precision needed for a higher score. Expanding your range of reporting verbs and descriptive adjectives would help improve your lexical score.
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 missing articles ('the breakfast', 'the snacks') and subject-verb agreement issues ('breakfast contain' instead of 'breakfast contains'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall accuracy. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic grammatical rules, particularly article usage and verb tense consistency.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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