Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-02

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 chart illustrates the average percentage of three nutrients which are sodium, saturated fats and added sugars in common foods eaten in USA. These food are not beneficial for health if taken in large amount.

To start with, population in USA take most of the sodium at dinner time which is 43% of the total amount taken in a day And least amount is consumed during breakfast and snacks.

for saturated fats and added sugars same percentage is eaten at morning time which is 16%. out of 4 meals in a day largest portion of saturated fats is consumed at dinner time and 42% of the total added sugar are eaten at snack time.

To conclude, most all three nutrients sodium, saturated fats and added sugars are taken in almost same percentage with breakfast. But with other meals Consume different quantities of all nutrients. At snack time, citizens of USA like foods with added sugars.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the charts, identifying key trends such as the high sodium intake at dinner and the peak in added sugars at snack time. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, the comparison between nutrients is inconsistent, and the description of the data lacks precision in places (e.g., 'almost same percentage'). While the main features are selected, the report would benefit from a more systematic comparison of the three nutrients across all four meal categories to fully meet the requirements of a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes inaccurate, such as the transition 'To conclude' which introduces a new summary of data rather than a synthesis. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the flow between sentences feels disjointed. The logical progression is present but lacks the sophistication required for a higher band, as the relationships between the data points are not always clearly linked.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There is repetition of basic terms like 'consumed', 'eaten', and 'amount'. Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'take most of the sodium' instead of 'consume the highest proportion of sodium'. There are also minor errors in word formation and collocation, such as 'most all three nutrients'. To improve, you should incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to data description.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('in USA' instead of 'in the USA'), subject-verb agreement ('These food are' instead of 'These foods are'), and punctuation. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are noticeable and occur throughout the text. A wider range of error-free complex structures is needed to reach a higher band.

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

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