Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-08

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 following pie chart illustrates the data about average percentages in typical meals of three types of nutrients which can be not good for health if taken excessive.

There are 3 charts given showing amount of sodium, saturated fats and added sugars in typical meals taken in the USA with different time of eating.

Firstly, in breakfast sodium has amount of food with 14%, saturated fat 16%% while added sugar is consumed 16%. moreover in lunch sodium is used 29%,saturat fat 26% and added sugar 19%.

At snacks sodium take place with 14%, saturated fat 21% and added sugar 42% which is highest amount in snacks food. moreover in dinner sodium is consumed highest with 43%, saturated fat 37% and added sugar 23%.

overall as we can see the sodium and saturated fat is consumed more in dinner and lowest in snacks. As we can see the lunch and breakfast was average of every nutrient take among all of them.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the charts, identifying the highest and lowest values for each nutrient. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While the prompt asks for comparisons, the student primarily lists data points rather than synthesising them effectively. For instance, stating 'sodium has amount of food with 14%' is imprecise and does not clearly convey the data. The overview provided at the end is a bit repetitive and could be more insightful by highlighting the contrast between the high sugar content in snacks versus the high sodium and saturated fat levels in dinner.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'moreover' used repeatedly in a way that does not always improve flow. The referencing is sometimes unclear, for example, 'sodium take place with 14%' is awkward and hinders the logical progression of ideas. Paragraphing is present, but the transition between the body paragraphs and the overview could be smoother to ensure a more cohesive summary of the data.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'amount', 'consumed', and 'used'. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'not good for health if taken excessive' instead of 'excessively' or 'unhealthy if consumed in excess'. The term 'amount of food' is used incorrectly to describe nutrient percentages. To reach a higher band, the student needs to use more precise terminology related to data reporting, such as 'proportion', 'account for', or 'constitute', and improve their control over word forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('sodium take place'), incorrect prepositions ('in breakfast' instead of 'at breakfast'), and awkward sentence structures ('the lunch and breakfast was average of every nutrient take'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, such as the double percentage sign '16%%' and missing spaces after commas. While the student attempts some complex structures, they are often faulty. A greater focus on basic sentence construction and proofreading for grammatical accuracy is required to improve this score.

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

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