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 pre-determined data illustrates percentage nutrients and there comparison in typical meal consumed in USA. So the comparison is made between three major nutrients, which is sodium, saturated fat and added sugar. The demonstration is divided into four major meals that includes breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner.
As per the given statistics of sodium, it is consumed the most in dinner while approximately equal in snacks and breakfast. The proportion of saturated fat is least in breakfast and the most in dinner and same goes with added sugar which highly absorbed in snacks meanwhile less preferred in breakfast and lunch.
The portrayed data concludes that people in USA has more inclination towards sweet snacks and dinner with balanced proportion of sodium as well as saturated fats and minimal proportion of nutrients breakfast. As per the analysis it can be stated that balanced proportion of nutrients in all the meals can lead to healthy diet.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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, but the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you correctly identify that dinner has the highest levels of sodium and saturated fat, the description of the data is imprecise. For example, stating that sodium is 'approximately equal in snacks and breakfast' lacks the necessary detail expected for a Band 6 or higher. Furthermore, the inclusion of personal commentary in the final sentence—suggesting that 'balanced proportion of nutrients... can lead to healthy diet'—is inappropriate for an Academic Task 1 report, which should remain objective and focused solely on the provided data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into three paragraphs, which is a standard structure. However, the logical flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes repetitive (e.g., 'As per the given statistics', 'As per the analysis'). Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the phrase 'same goes with added sugar', which makes the connection to the previous data points slightly confusing. The progression of ideas is present, but the overall structure would benefit from more varied linking words to improve the flow between the introduction, body, and conclusion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward word choice or incorrect collocations, such as 'highly absorbed in snacks' (nutrients are consumed, not absorbed by the meal) and 'minimal proportion of nutrients breakfast' (which is grammatically incomplete). You rely on basic descriptors like 'most' and 'least' rather than using more sophisticated comparative language. To improve, focus on using more precise terminology related to data reporting, such as 'account for', 'constitute', or 'a significant proportion'.
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. For instance, 'there comparison' should be 'their comparison', and 'which is sodium' should be 'which are sodium'. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and missing articles, such as 'in typical meal' (should be 'in a typical meal') and 'minimal proportion of nutrients breakfast' (missing a preposition). While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.