Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-23
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 given pie charts illustrate the proportions of sodium, saturated fats and added sugers in typical meals in the USA, all of which might be unhealthy if consumed too much.
Overall, sodium accounted for the highest percentage among all three nutreints in dinner while sugar contributed in a same proportion for snacks. In addition, all three nurtients showed amost equal percentage point in breakfast.
In dinner, 43% of the people consumed a sodium, which is the highest perccentage points across all nuritents and meals. Followed by saturated fats and sugar with 37% and 23% respectively. Conversely, during snacks time, 42% of the people eaten added sugars while saturated fat and sodium observed the figures of 21% and 12% respectively.
In lunch, sodium and saturated fats accounted for almost equal consumption level with 29% and 26% respectively. However, added sugars experienced a slight drop as compare to other nutrients, to record percentage points of 19%. Furthermore, all three nutrients contributed equally in breakfast.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The student successfully addresses the main features of the charts by reporting key data for sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars across four meal categories in the USA. An overview is attempted in the second paragraph, capturing some notable extremes, such as sodium peaking at dinner. However, there are minor inaccuracies in data reporting and interpretation. For instance, the student states that 'all three nutrients showed amost equal percentage point in breakfast,' whereas the chart shows distinct figures of 14%, 16%, and 16%, and later claims 'sodium and saturated fats accounted for almost equal consumption level with 29% and 26% respectively' (though 29% and 26% are close, the phrasing could be tighter). Furthermore, the statement '43% of the people consumed a sodium' contains a grammatical slip. Despite these minor issues, the key comparisons are present, placing this performance at a Band 6.5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is arranged logically into four paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, moving to an overview, and dedicating the subsequent body paragraphs to detailed meal breakdowns (dinner, snacks, lunch, and breakfast). Cohesive devices such as 'Overall,' 'In addition,' 'Conversely,' and 'Furthermore' are employed to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different sections of the visual data. However, referencing and cohesion occasionally feel slightly mechanical, and the logical flow between sentences could be smoother in the final paragraph. Overall, the organization is clear and easy to follow, aligning well with the Band 6 descriptor.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an Academic Task 1 response, utilizing terms such as 'proportions,' 'accounted for,' 'percentage points,' 'respectively,' and 'conversely.' However, there are several noticeable spelling errors ('sugers' instead of sugars, 'nutreints' / 'nurtients' / 'nuritents' instead of nutrients, 'amost' instead of almost, 'perccentage' instead of percentage) and awkward lexical choices (e.g., 'consumed a sodium' and 'people eaten added sugars'). These minor vocabulary errors and repetitive spelling slips prevent the score from reaching a Band 7, keeping it firmly at Band 6.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and comparative structures (e.g., 'which is the highest perccentage points across all nuritents and meals' and 'as compare to other nutrients'). There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings throughout the text, such as 'sugar contributed in a same proportion for snacks,' 'during snacks time,' '43% of the people consumed a sodium,' and 'people eaten added sugars.' Although these errors are frequent, they rarely impede overall communication, as the intended meaning remains clear. This balance of structures and error frequency corresponds to a Band 6.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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