Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-16
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 average percentages of three nutrients in typical meals is shown by pie charts. These three types of nutrients, all of which may be unhealthy if eaten beyond the limit.
Overall, the pie charts are representing the proportion of sodium, saturated fat and sugar in four different food cycles including: breakfast, dinner, lunch and snacks.
Most of the people are taking 43% sodium while 37% saturated fat and 23% sugar in their dinner. However, the proportion of these three nutrients in breakfast is almost same. High quantity of sugar is taken by snacks about 42% while sodium and saturated fat are at 14% and 21% through snacks. USA people are also digesting these nutrients in their lunch, sodium and fat with 26 to 29% however sugar proportion is about 19%.
Hence, nutrients are essential for health but with limited proportion because nutrients can be unhealthy if eaten too much in meals.
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 the main features of the charts, identifying key data points for sodium, saturated fat, and sugar across the four meal categories. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you mention the highest values, such as the 43% sodium in dinner and 42% sugar in snacks, the comparisons are occasionally imprecise. For instance, stating that nutrients in breakfast are 'almost same' lacks specific data support. Furthermore, the inclusion of 'USA people' is an external assumption not supported by the provided prompt, which is a significant error in task interpretation. To improve, focus strictly on the data provided and ensure all comparisons are backed by specific figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into a brief introduction, a body paragraph, and a concluding sentence. While there is a logical flow, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited; for example, the transition between the discussion of dinner and snacks is abrupt. Paragraphing is insufficient, as the entire analysis is compressed into one block, making it difficult for the reader to follow the transition between different meal types. To reach a higher band, use more varied linking words (e.g., 'in contrast,' 'furthermore,' 'consequently') and structure your response into distinct paragraphs for better readability.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher score. You rely on repetitive phrasing, such as 'proportion of these three nutrients' and 'eaten too much.' There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'food cycles' instead of 'meal types' and 'digesting these nutrients' when referring to consumption. To improve, try to incorporate more academic vocabulary related to data description, such as 'constitute,' 'account for,' 'predominate,' or 'marginal.' Avoid informal phrasing and ensure that your word choices accurately reflect the data presented in the charts.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but grammatical errors are frequent and occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'The average percentages... is shown' should be 'are shown' to agree with the plural subject. The sentence 'These three types of nutrients, all of which may be unhealthy if eaten beyond the limit' is a sentence fragment as it lacks a main verb. Additionally, there are issues with article usage and prepositional phrases, such as 'in four different food cycles including: breakfast, dinner, lunch and snacks.' Focusing on subject-verb agreement and sentence completeness will significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.