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 chart compares average percentage of 3 different unhealthy nutrients added to their meals consumed in the USA.
Overall, the average percentages of sodium, saturated fats and added sugars in typical meals consumed in the USA , it can be seen that the percentage of the all three unhealthy nutrients is more at the time of dinner among other three times a day.
To being with, morning breakfast the amount of sodium is less than other two which is 14% and other two is 16%. However, in lunch the proportion of added sugar is 19% which is lesser then the sodium 29% and saturated fat is 26% is consumed in a typical meal in the USA
Conversely, at the time of snacks and dinner it is undeniable that, the added sugar is in massive percentage compare to other two i.e. 42% at the time of snack , moving to saturated fat is 21% and sodium 14%. Furthermore, the sodium contributes great percentage in dinner (43%), followed by saturated fat 37% and least added sugar 23%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the main features and making comparisons. However, the analysis is somewhat inconsistent. For instance, the statement that 'the percentage of all three unhealthy nutrients is more at the time of dinner' is inaccurate, as the data shows sugar is highest at snack time. Additionally, the description of the data is occasionally confusing, such as the claim that 'in lunch the proportion of added sugar is 19% which is lesser then the sodium 29% and saturated fat is 26%'. While the main trends are identified, the lack of precision in reporting the figures and the misinterpretation of some data points limit the score.
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. Phrases like 'To being with' (should be 'To begin with') and 'moving to' are used awkwardly. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the transition between the lunch and snack/dinner descriptions. While there is an attempt to use linking words, the overall flow is hindered by grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, which makes the logical connection between sentences less clear than it should be.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There is some repetition of basic terms like 'percentage' and 'unhealthy nutrients'. The student attempts to use some descriptive language, but word choices are often imprecise or incorrect, such as 'massive percentage' or 'contributes great percentage'. There are also minor errors in word formation and collocation, such as 'To being with' instead of 'To begin with'. To improve, the student should focus on using more varied and accurate vocabulary to describe trends and proportions.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('the percentage of the all three... is'), incorrect preposition usage ('at the time of dinner among other three times'), and awkward sentence construction ('the added sugar is in massive percentage compare to other two'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary commas and missing articles. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band level.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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