Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-26
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)
There are multiple pie charts shown such as sodium, saturated fat, added sugar. It represent average percentage of nutrients consumption in breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks in the USA.
In the breakfast, the sodium consumption was 14% whereas consumption of saturated fat and added sugar was around 16%. During the lunch, sodium usage was 29% which was higher than other nutrients. The consumption of sodium in the breakfast and the snacks was similar. Whereas saturated fat was 21% in the snacks. The consumption of the added sugar was 42% which was more than combined of sodium and saturated fat in snacks. The consumption of the most nutrients was increase during dinner such as there was 43% of the sodium consumed and 37% of saturated fat consumed by people. Added sugar was 23% in dinner which was not the most consumption during that time.
It is clearly shown that the consumption of all nutrients was more in the dinner than other meals which was unhealthy for the people
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the charts, identifying the three nutrients and their consumption across four meal types. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview of the most significant trends. While you mention that dinner has the highest consumption, you could improve by grouping the data more effectively to highlight the contrast between the meals. Some comparisons are slightly inaccurate or confusing, such as the statement about snacks, which makes it difficult for the reader to follow the data trends clearly. To reach a higher band, ensure that the 'main features' are synthesized rather than just listing percentages meal by meal.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow between sentences is often disjointed. You use some cohesive devices like 'whereas' and 'during', but their application is sometimes repetitive or slightly unnatural. The progression of ideas is a bit fragmented, as the transition from one nutrient to another within the same paragraph lacks smooth signposting. The final paragraph attempts a summary but feels abrupt. Improving the use of referencing (e.g., 'the former', 'the latter') and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You frequently use the word 'consumption' and 'nutrients', which limits the range of your expression. There are also some minor collocation errors, such as 'most nutrients was increase' instead of 'the consumption of most nutrients increased'. To improve, try to incorporate a wider variety of verbs and nouns related to data description, such as 'proportion', 'intake', 'account for', and 'constitute'. Using more precise terminology will help you demonstrate a more flexible control of language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. For example, 'It represent average percentage' should be 'It represents the average percentage', and 'more than combined of sodium' is grammatically incorrect. There are also issues with article usage (e.g., 'in the breakfast') and subject-verb agreement. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on consistent verb tense usage and correct article placement will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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