Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-09
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 circular charts depict the average percentages in typical meals of three different types of nutrients sodium, saturated salt and added sugars, all of which are unhealthy if consumed in excessive amounts.
Overall, sodium accounted the highest percentage in dinner while snacks consisted least. Whereas, added sugar constituted the highest percentage in snacks in contrast breakfast made up very least. However, saturated fat accounted highest rate in dinner although breakfast remained least.
To begin with sodium contributed almost one third of its percentage in breakfast and snacks, whereas two third percentage was contributed by lunch and dinner was the highest amount of sodium. The saturated fat contributed the highest percentage in dinner 37% and more than one third of its rate was contributed to breakfast. Lunch and snacks accounted 21 and 26 percent respectively.
However, snacks consisted of 42% of added sugar and more than one third percentage of sugar is accounted in breakfast while 23% and 19% contributed to dinner and lunch respectively.
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, identifying key trends for each nutrient. However, the analysis is marred by significant inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, you state that sodium accounted for 'two third' in lunch and dinner combined, which is not clearly supported by the data, and your description of saturated fat in breakfast as 'more than one third' contradicts the visual evidence. While you attempt to make comparisons, the lack of precision in interpreting the percentages makes the summary less effective. To improve, ensure that your data points are transcribed accurately from the charts and that you focus on clear, comparative highlights rather than listing every figure, which can lead to confusion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, moving from an overview to specific nutrient details. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'However', and 'whereas' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally disrupted by awkward phrasing and mechanical transitions. For example, the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the different meal types. Improving the variety of cohesive devices and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would enhance the overall logical progression of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'accounted for', 'constituted', and 'excessive amounts'. However, there are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation that occasionally impede clarity. For example, you refer to 'saturated salt' (likely meaning saturated fat) and use 'rate' incorrectly when referring to percentages. There is also some repetition of basic verbs like 'contributed' and 'accounted'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology related to data description and ensure that your collocations are natural and accurate in the context of reporting statistics.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and preposition usage, such as 'sodium accounted the highest' (missing 'for') and 'breakfast made up very least'. There are also issues with article usage and sentence construction, such as 'dinner was the highest amount of sodium', which is grammatically awkward. While these errors do not completely prevent communication, they are frequent enough to distract the reader. Focusing on basic sentence structure and proofreading for missing prepositions and articles will help improve your accuracy significantly.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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