Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-04
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 illustrate the average percentages in typical meals of three different types of nutrients, all of them can be unhealthy if they are consumed in excess.
Overall, it is apparent that the amount of sodium and saturated fat consumed in dinner is higher than other of meal except in added sugar because the rate of added sugar is higher in snacks.
To begin with, first of all, it is clear that the rate of sodium in breakfast is 14% and 29% in lunch, while the percentage of saturated fat in breakfast is 16% that is slightly higher than in sodium and in lunch saturated fat is 26% that is slightly less than in sodium, similarly rate of added sugar in breakfast is 16% and in lunch 19%.
Meanwhile, the ratio of sodium is 43% in dinner and 14% in snacks, while rate of saturated fat in dinner is 37% and 21% in snacks, on the other hand added sugar in dinner is 23% and 42% in snacks, The ratio of added sugar in snacks is higher than in sodium and saturated fat.
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 all parts of the task by identifying the main features of the three nutrients across the four meal types. You successfully highlight the key trends, such as the high levels of added sugar in snacks and the dominance of sodium and saturated fat in dinner. However, the analysis is somewhat descriptive and lacks a more sophisticated synthesis of the data. To reach a higher band, ensure that comparisons are more analytical rather than just listing figures. For instance, instead of just stating the percentages, you could explicitly contrast the nutritional profile of snacks with that of dinner to provide a clearer overview of the health implications described in the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices like 'Meanwhile' and 'on the other hand' to link information. However, some transitions are repetitive or slightly mechanical, such as 'To begin with, first of all'. Additionally, the sentence structure within the third paragraph is quite long and run-on, which makes the flow feel a bit cluttered. Improving the variety of linking words and breaking up long, dense sentences would enhance the overall readability and coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'nutrients', 'consumed', 'excess', and 'ratio' correctly. However, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive, particularly the frequent use of 'rate' and 'percentage'. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms such as 'proportion', 'share', 'levels', or 'figures'. There are no significant spelling errors, and the vocabulary used is sufficient to convey the intended meaning clearly, though it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher band scores.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that affect the precision of your writing. For example, 'all of them can be unhealthy' would be better as 'all of which can be unhealthy'. There are also issues with preposition usage and article omission, such as 'higher than other of meal' and 'rate of sodium'. Some sentences are overly long and lack correct punctuation, which makes them difficult to follow. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and refining your use of complex sentence structures will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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