Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-24

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 5.0)

The chart given below tells us that the average in typical meals of three types of nutrients, all of which may be unhealthy if too much eaten. At a glance there was highest amount of sodium which was taken in dinner and similarly saturated fat which was also taken too much in dinner but in snacks there is highest amount of added sugar.

In USA the sodium was taken 43 percent in dinner and after dinner this was mostly taken in lunch. In lunch and snacks the equal amount of sodium was taken.

Similarly saturated fat also highly taken in dinner and after dinner it was highly used in lunch and the least amount of saturated fat was taken in breakfast which is 16 percent.

But the sugar was mostly used in snacks which is 42 percent. And after the snacks it was highly used in dinner. But in breakfast least amount of sugar was used.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response attempts to address the task by reporting the main features of the chart regarding sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars in typical US meals. The writer correctly identifies the peak categories, such as dinner being highest for sodium (43%) and saturated fat (37%), and snacks being highest for added sugar (42%). However, there are inaccuracies in data reporting; for example, the student claims that 'In lunch and snacks the equal amount of sodium was taken', whereas the chart shows 29% for lunch and 14% for snacks. Furthermore, the overview is rather weak, and the data selection lacks a truly comparative overview across all categories. Therefore, it meets the basic requirements but falls short of a higher band due to inaccuracies and limited extension.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The text is organized into a brief introduction followed by separate body paragraphs for each nutrient. However, the progression is quite mechanical and repetitive, heavily relying on formulaic transitions like 'Similarly saturated fat also highly taken in' and 'But the sugar was mostly used'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the connection between sentences often feels disjointed due to poor cohesive devices and repetitive referencing. Cohesion is faulty throughout, placing this response firmly in the Band 5 category.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, frequently reusing terms like 'taken', 'used', 'amount', and 'high'. Expressions such as 'too much eaten' and 'highly taken in dinner' show unnatural phrasing and a lack of collocation control. While the technical names of the nutrients (sodium, saturated fat, added sugar) and meal times are present, the overall range of vocabulary is severely limited and inadequate for precision, fitting the Band 5 descriptor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response displays a very limited range of sentence structures, consisting mostly of simple and awkwardly constructed compound sentences. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as missing prepositions or incorrect passive/active voice choices ('if too much eaten', 'the sodium was taken 43 percent', 'saturated fat also highly taken'). Punctuation is basic, and awkward phrasing occasionally causes strain for the reader, aligning the grammar with a Band 5 score.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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