Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-21
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 average proportion of breakfast, dinner, lunch and snacks of three types of nutrient (sodium, saturated fats, added sugar) in the USA all of which may be detrimental if consumed in excess.
Overall, it is evident that sodium and saturated fats is consumed significantly more in dinner compared to lunch, breakfast and snacks. Furthermore, sugar showed higher consumption in snacks.
On the one hand, the percentage of sodium is consumed in breakfast, accounted for 14%, followed by dinner, lunch and snacks, at 43%, 29 and 14% respectively.
On the other hand, the consumption of saturated fats and added sugar showed similar trend in breakfast which responsible for 16%. Moreover, the number of saturated fat and sugar which was consumed in snacks illustrate the double proportion from 21% to 42%. Moreover, saturated fat which was consumed in lunch at 26%, and sugar which was also consumed in lunch at 19%.
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
You have successfully identified the main features of the charts and provided relevant comparisons. You covered all three nutrients and the four meal categories. However, the reporting of data is occasionally imprecise or confusing. For example, stating that sodium is 'consumed in breakfast, accounted for 14%' is grammatically awkward, and the comparison of saturated fats and sugar in snacks is slightly unclear. To reach a higher band, ensure that the data points are linked more clearly to the categories and that the overview provides a more comprehensive summary of the trends rather than just listing specific meal highlights.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, and you have used some cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'Furthermore.' However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear. For instance, the transition between the discussion of sodium and the other nutrients could be smoother. The use of 'Moreover' is repetitive, appearing three times in the final paragraph, which affects the overall cohesion. Varying your linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would improve the logical progression of your report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information, using terms like 'proportion,' 'detrimental,' 'excess,' and 'consumption.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'responsible for 16%' when referring to nutrient percentages, which is not the standard way to describe statistical data. Additionally, the phrasing 'the number of saturated fat' is incorrect, as fat is an uncountable noun. While your vocabulary is adequate for the task, you need to focus on more precise collocations and ensure that you are using nouns and verbs correctly in a statistical context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Subject-verb agreement is a recurring issue, such as 'sodium and saturated fats is consumed' (should be 'are') and 'saturated fat... illustrate' (should be 'illustrates'). There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases, such as 'in breakfast' (should be 'at breakfast'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic agreement and prepositional accuracy would significantly improve your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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