Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-15
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 4.5)
The chart insulate that the percentages in typical meals of three types of nutrients . Sodium , Saturated fat and Added sugar . Average percentages of sodium , saturated fat and added sugars in typical meals consumed in the USA . In snacks there are 14% sodium and breakfast there are 14% sodium . In lunch there are 29% sodium in the lunch . And in the dinner there are 43% sodium in it . The next is the saturated fat in the meals . In snacks there are 21% saturated fat in the snacks . In breakfast 16% saturated fat in it . In lunch 26% saturated fat 26% fat in it . 37% saturated fat in the dinner . Last is the sugar .In snacks there are 42% sugar in it . 23% sugar in the dinner . And next is lunch there are 19% sugar in it . In the breakfast 16% sugar in it in the USA .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.0 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student attempts to report the data for sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar across different meal times (snacks, breakfast, lunch, and dinner). While the figures are largely mentioned, the response lacks an overview, which is a key requirement for Academic Task 1. Furthermore, the information is presented in a mechanical, list-like manner without making meaningful comparisons between the nutrients or the meals. For instance, the student states, 'In snacks there are 14% sodium and breakfast there are 14% sodium,' but fails to highlight that dinner accounted for the highest proportion of sodium (43%) while snacks accounted for the highest proportion of added sugar (42%). Because the response lacks an overview and fails to adequately synthesise or compare the data, it aligns with the Band 5 descriptors.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0
The organisation of the text is severely hampered by poor paragraphing, as the entire response is written in a single, unbroken block of text rather than structured paragraphs. There is no clear overall progression or logical grouping of ideas. Instead of grouping information by nutrient or meal type for comparison, the student jumps erratically from sodium to saturated fat and then to sugar, repeating similar phrase structures throughout (e.g., 'In snacks there are...', 'In breakfast...'). Cohesive devices are either missing or highly repetitive, and referencing is weak. These features reflect the Band 4 descriptors, as the information and ideas are not arranged coherently.
Lexical Resource — Band 4.0
The student uses a very limited and repetitive vocabulary, relying heavily on basic nouns ('sodium', 'fat', 'sugar', 'snacks', 'lunch', 'dinner', 'breakfast') and formulaic sentence frames ('there are... in it'). There are noticeable lexical errors, such as the opening sentence 'The chart insulate that...', where 'insulate' is incorrectly used instead of 'illustrate' or 'indicate'. Spelling and word choice are basic, and vocabulary range is restricted to the labels provided in the prompt. This performance fits the Band 4 descriptor, where vocabulary is basic and repetitive, occasionally straining comprehension.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0
The response demonstrates a very limited range of grammatical structures, consisting almost entirely of simple, repetitive clauses introduced by 'In [meal] there are [percentage] [nutrient]'. There is a complete lack of complex sentence forms. Grammatical accuracy is poor, featuring missing prepositions, articles, and verbs, as well as fragments (e.g., 'Sodium , Saturated fat and Added sugar .'). Sentences frequently lack proper subject-verb agreement or essential connectors, causing frequent errors that disrupt the flow and occasionally obscure the intended meaning. This corresponds to a Band 4 score for grammar.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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