Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-11
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 bar charts illustrate the proportion of four types of meals consumed in different categories of nutrients in the USA which has inclueded sodium, satuated fat and added sugar. These nutrients are harmful to health if eaten too much.
Overall, it is clear that most consumed of nutrients at dinner , but at breakfast it consumed less than other meals.
Firstly, commoners are consuming most sodium at dinner and lunch time which rates are 43% and 29% respectively, , it is the most consumed rate all over the nutrients include all meals. However, snacks and breakfast consume rate is same only 14%.
Secondly, regarding Saturated fat at breakfast takes only 16% but lunch and snacks are consumed nutrients in meal slightly higher than breakfast the rates are 26% and 21% respectively. Also, it is showing at dinner people takes 37% of saturated fat which is the highest percentage above these meals.
Moreover, added sugar consumed most at snacks 42% which is the highest rate all over the nutriants. On the other hand, at breakfast, lunch and dinner these meals consumed added sugar sequentially, the rates are 16%,19% and 23% gradually.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| 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 such as the high sodium content at dinner and the peak of added sugar in snacks. However, the report is somewhat mechanical and lacks a truly analytical overview. While the main features are selected, the comparison between categories could be more sophisticated. The introduction is slightly inaccurate, as it mentions four types of meals when the charts only display three (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks). Overall, the response addresses the task requirements but lacks the depth of analysis required for a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, each focusing on a specific nutrient. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Moreover', which help the reader follow the structure. However, some transitions are used awkwardly, such as 'the rates are 16%, 19% and 23% gradually', which does not accurately describe the data progression. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the flow between sentences is sometimes disjointed due to grammatical errors and repetitive phrasing. The overall progression is clear, but the mechanical use of linking words prevents a higher score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the data clearly. However, there are several instances of inaccurate word choice and spelling errors, such as 'inclueded' instead of 'included', 'satuated' instead of 'saturated', and 'commoners' to refer to the general population, which is inappropriate in this context. The range of vocabulary is limited, relying on repetitive phrases like 'highest rate' and 'consumed'. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise academic terminology and correcting basic spelling mistakes.
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. Examples include 'most consumed of nutrients at dinner', 'consume rate is same', and 'it is showing at dinner people takes'. Subject-verb agreement is inconsistent, and there are issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors in basic sentence construction prevents the response from reaching a higher band. More attention to proofreading for subject-verb agreement and word order is needed.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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