Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-07

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 charts compares the average percentages in every typical meals which we consume in three different types of nutrients. However it could be unhealthy if we eat too much.

Overall, most individual eat sodium as a dinner in most, Moreover added sugar has be taken a lot as snacks and saturated fats as a dinner by most people.

Firstly the most individual eat sodium as a dinner by 43% as well as in lunch too by 29 % and at least 14 % each in breakfast and snacks. Moreover saturated fat has been eaten by 37 % in dinner and 26 % in lunch carry by 21 % in snacks and at last 16% in breakfast which is the lowest amount.

Secondly the added sugar eaten by 42 % in snacks only which is the highest amount in sugar followed by dinner in 23 % and 19 % in lunch at last 16 % in breakfast

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the charts, identifying the highest and lowest percentages for each nutrient. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview of the data trends. While the prompt asks for comparisons, the student primarily lists figures without effectively contrasting the nutrients against each other or highlighting significant differences in consumption patterns across meal types. The introduction is slightly inaccurate, as it misinterprets the charts as representing 'every typical meal' rather than the average percentage of nutrients in those meals. To improve, ensure the overview synthesizes the data rather than just listing it.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often awkward or incorrect. For example, 'carry by 21%' and 'at last 16%' are used incorrectly to link data points, making the flow disjointed. The transition words like 'Firstly' and 'Secondly' are used, but the internal logic within the paragraphs is weak due to repetitive sentence structures and poor referencing. The progression of ideas is present but lacks the sophistication required for a higher band, as the relationship between the sentences is often unclear.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic verbs like 'eat' and 'eaten'. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'most individual eat sodium' (should be 'most individuals consume sodium') and 'added sugar has be taken a lot'. The word choice is functional but lacks the precision needed for an academic report. To reach a higher band, the student should use a wider range of synonyms for 'consume' and 'percentage', and improve the accuracy of collocations related to nutritional data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('The charts compares'), incorrect verb forms ('has be taken'), and missing articles. The sentence structures are mostly simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors, such as 'saturated fat has been eaten by 37% in dinner and 26% in lunch carry by 21%'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing commas and periods. A greater focus on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement is necessary.

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

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