Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-22

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 describes the percentages in daily meals with three times and that can be harmful for health in much quantity.

Overall, three pie charts gives information about USA meals and it is sodium, saturated fat and added sugar and every chart shows four parts.

The first chart is sodium and it illustrates about four parts of meals and the dinner is large and it is about 43% and the lunch contain 29% of the sodium and the breakfast held only 14% of the sodium. The last is snacks and its quantity is 14%.

The second pie chart shows saturated fat in several meals and in which dinner is 37% and it is in huge percentage. The 26% saturated fat is involved in the lunch and the snacks are a bit high in rate and it is 21% and the the breakfast contain only 16%.

The third chart is about added sugar and snacks are in large number and it is 425 and the breakfast is 16% and the dinner is only 23% and the last is lunch and it is 19% and it is smallest than other two nutrients.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the three nutrients and comparing their distribution across meal types. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, listing percentages rather than synthesizing the data into a cohesive overview. There is a significant error in the final paragraph where '425' is used instead of '42%', which misrepresents the data. While the main features are identified, the lack of a clear, analytical comparison between the nutrients limits the depth of the response. To improve, focus on grouping similar trends rather than describing each chart in isolation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is repetitive and mechanical, relying heavily on 'The first chart', 'The second pie chart', and 'The third chart'. There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to connect ideas within and between paragraphs. The progression of information is logical, but the transitions between sentences feel disjointed. Improving the variety of cohesive devices, such as using 'In contrast' or 'Conversely', would significantly enhance the flow of the writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks range and precision. There is frequent repetition of basic terms like 'chart', 'meals', and 'percentage'. Some word choices are inaccurate or awkward, such as 'in much quantity' instead of 'in large quantities' and 'smallest than' instead of 'smaller than'. The error '425' instead of '42%' also suggests a lack of attention to detail. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more varied vocabulary related to data description, such as 'proportion', 'constitute', 'account for', and 'predominant'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Subject-verb agreement is often incorrect, such as 'The pie charts describes' and 'three pie charts gives'. There are also issues with articles and prepositions, for example, 'in the lunch' instead of 'at lunch'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring consistent tense usage when describing data.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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