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 chart illustrates the proportion of sodium, saturated fat and added sugar is consumed in different types of meals in the USA. These all minarels can be harmful to body organs if eaten too much.
Overall, maximum ammount of consumed nutrients at dinner time, while breakfast accounted at the lowest. Also, lunch time is the second highest consume rate of nutrients among all these meals.
Firstly, sodium is consumed highest proportion at dinner time that rate is 43% but breakfast and scancks time the rate is frequently same as 14%, at lunch time this nutrient rate is 29%.
Secondly, regarding saturated fat and added sugar there is consumed 37% and 23% at dinner respectively, then at breakfast time the proportion of these nutrients is equally same only 16%. Moreover, at snacks time added sugar is double than saturated fat which is highest changes including all these meals. At lunch time saturated fat is slightly higher than added sugar that percentage difference only 7%.
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 the trends across the four meal categories. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you correctly identify that dinner has the highest percentages, the comparison between nutrients could be more precise. For instance, you mention 'highest changes' regarding snacks, but this is vague and lacks a clear connection to the data. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are clearly supported by the figures provided and that the overview highlights the most significant trends rather than just listing data points.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use basic cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Moreover' to transition between ideas. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some sentences feel disjointed. For example, the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs could be smoother. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the phrase 'that rate is 43%', which lacks a strong grammatical link to the preceding clause. Improving the variety of linking words would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is quite repetitive and lacks precision. You use terms like 'consumed' and 'rate' frequently, which limits the sophistication of the writing. There are also some errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'minarels' (minerals) and 'scancks' (snacks). Furthermore, phrases like 'accounted at the lowest' are not standard collocations. To improve, try to incorporate a wider range of synonyms for 'percentage' and 'consumption' and focus on using more precise academic vocabulary to describe data trends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly with verb forms and sentence structure. Examples include 'proportion of sodium... is consumed' (passive voice error), 'breakfast accounted at the lowest' (missing object/preposition error), and 'the rate is frequently same as 14%' (incorrect phrasing). While the meaning is generally clear, these errors are noticeable and occur in both simple and complex sentences. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions and articles, which are currently inconsistent.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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