Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-19
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 pie chart compares the proportions of the normal percentages in the meals of three types of nutrients, all of which can be dangerous to health if consumed in large amounts. In the overview, the largest proportion of dinner is sodium, followed by saturated fat; breakfast has many small values.
In the sodium pie chart, the percentage of dinner rises to 43%, and then it declines in saturated fat to about 37%. The percentage of snacks is about 14% in sodium, then it climbs to 21% in saturated fat. The percentage of lunch remains almost the same in both charts. The percentage of breakfast shows a minor change in the percentage of sodium and saturated fat.
In added sugar, the percentage of dinner decreases to 23%. In breakfast, they have gradually the same percentage then other two charts, around 16%. The percentage of snacks will increase by a large amount; it can lead the other two charts at 42%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student attempts to address the task by summarizing data from the three pie charts depicting nutrient consumption in typical US meals. An overview is provided, noting that dinner has the largest proportion of sodium and saturated fat. However, the response struggles with accurately interpreting the charts. For instance, the text states that 'the percentage of dinner rises to 43%, and then it declines in saturated fat to about 37%', which incorrectly frames the charts as a sequential or temporal progression across categories rather than separate breakdowns for three distinct nutrients. Furthermore, some data references are confused or poorly supported. While the main features are touched upon, the lack of precise comparative analysis and misinterpretation of the chart structure limit the task achievement score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is organized into four paragraphs, including an introduction, two body paragraphs, and an implied overview within the introduction. Logical progression is somewhat disrupted by confusing transitions and unclear referencing, such as 'In the sodium pie chart, the percentage of dinner rises to 43%, and then it declines in saturated fat...', which treats the separate charts as if they were a single changing timeline. Cohesive devices are used, but they are sometimes mechanical or inaccurate, as seen with 'gradually the same percentage then other two charts'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the overall logical flow suffers from imprecise linking between the different nutrient categories.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for basic description, incorporating terms such as 'proportions', 'declines', 'climbs', and 'minor change'. However, the lexical range is limited and repetitive, with frequent awkward phrasings like 'normal percentages', 'many small values', and 'gradually the same percentage'. Attempts to use more sophisticated collocation or precision lead to unnatural expressions, such as 'it can lead the other two charts at 42%'. Word choice errors occur but do not completely impede communication, placing the response firmly at Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and comparative structures. However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are noticeable errors in prepositions, verb forms, and sentence construction, such as 'In breakfast, they have gradually the same percentage then other two charts' and 'The percentage of snacks will increase by a large amount', where future tense is incorrectly used for static chart data. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but frequent minor errors in grammar and awkward syntax occasionally strain readability.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.