Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-29
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 illustrates the proportion of typical meals of 3 types of nutrients. It include average percentages of Sodium, saturated fat and added sugars in food consumption in the USA.
Overall, Dinner accounted large portion in Sodium and saturated fat. in Comparision to this Lunch shares about Ind most in Sodium and Saturated fat. Mean while, Snacks contributes most in Added sugar.
Regarding the Breakfast, it shares about 14% in sodium 16% in saturated fat where as and added sugar.
Dinner shares majority portion in both
Dinner stood at 43% and 37% in Sodium and Saturated fat but it accounted about 23% in added sugar which is less than other categories.
Furthermore, Lunch represents equally in first 2 categories which was about 29% where as it express only 19% in Added sugar. Although, Snacks follows unique trend by representing
14% and 21% in sodium and saturated fat whereas it has great participation in added sugar by putting 42% in whole.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers the main features of the charts, identifying the key trends for each nutrient across the four meal categories. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a cohesive synthesis. While the data points are generally accurate, the description of the breakfast category is incomplete, as the student mentions 'added sugar' but fails to provide the corresponding percentage. Furthermore, the comparison between categories is occasionally confusing, such as the statement that dinner's added sugar percentage is 'less than other categories' without specifying which ones. To reach a higher band, ensure all data points are clearly stated and comparisons are more analytical rather than just listing figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the flow between sentences is often disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes inaccurate, such as the awkward transition 'Although, Snacks follows unique trend'. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when referring to 'first 2 categories' or 'whole'. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs is weak, making the progression of ideas feel somewhat fragmented. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring clear referents for pronouns would significantly enhance the logical flow of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There is a reliance on basic phrasing, such as 'shares about', 'represents equally', and 'putting 42% in whole'. Some word choices are unnatural or incorrect in context, such as 'great participation' to describe a percentage of sugar, or 'express' when referring to data. There are also minor errors in capitalization and phrasing that detract from the professional tone required for an academic report. Expanding the range of reporting verbs and using more precise terminology for data comparison would improve the score.
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 clarity. Issues include missing articles ('in Sodium', 'in Added sugar'), incorrect preposition usage ('shares about 14% in sodium'), and subject-verb agreement errors ('It include', 'Snacks contributes'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary capitalization (e.g., 'Comparision', 'Mean while') and fragmented sentences. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for article usage would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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