Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-29

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 three charts illustrate the average proportions in daily meals of three different types of nutrients and if eaten excessive, it can be unhealthy.

Overall, as it is pretty clear that Sodium has the most proportion of neutrients in Dinner and Lunch. Added sugar has contributed the most in snacks whereas saturated fat and added sugar remain equal contributor in breakfast.

First of all. Dinner is the main source of consumption of sodium, followed by Lunch which has 29% sodium. Breakfast and snacks contain only 14 percent of sodium.

On the other hand, there is 37% of saturated fat in dinner. Lunch contain 26 percent of fat , followed snacks which is 21 percent and only 16 percent fat is there in breakfast

The main source of added sugar is snacks which is 42% . 23 percent of sugar is there in dinner and less than 20 percen in lunch and breakfast

Overall the ratio of neutrients are lesser in breakfast as compared to other meals.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the charts, identifying key proportions for sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar across the four meal types. The overview attempts to capture general trends, noting that sodium is highest in dinner and lunch, while added sugar peaks in snacks. However, there are some data inaccuracies and imprecise reporting; for instance, the writer states that 'breakfast and snacks contain only 14 percent of sodium' (snacks actually contain 14%, but breakfast also contains 14%, which is accurate, yet the phrasing lumps them confusingly), and 'less than 20 percent in lunch and breakfast' for added sugar (lunch is actually 19%, but breakfast is 16%). Furthermore, some comparisons are incomplete or lack precision. Despite these lapses, all parts of the prompt are addressed, supporting a Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a coherent overall arrangement and follows a logical structure by addressing each nutrient in turn, supported by an introduction and conclusion. However, paragraphing is somewhat fragmented and mechanical, featuring very short paragraphs (some only one or two sentences long) that disrupt the flow. Cohesive devices are basic and sometimes used repetitively or incorrectly ('First of all', 'On the other hand'). Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'which is 21 percent and only 16 percent fat is there in breakfast', leading to awkward transitions between sentences. Overall progression is visible, but the lack of sophisticated linking devices and choppy paragraph structure place this at Band 5.5.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to report percentages and general nutrient categories ('proportion', 'consumption', 'source'). However, there are several lexical errors and misspelled words throughout the text, such as 'excessive' used instead of 'excessively', 'neutrients' instead of 'nutrients', and 'percen' instead of 'percent'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms. While the writer attempts less common phrases, inaccurate word choices and spelling mistakes prevent the response from achieving a higher band. These errors do not entirely impede communication, which aligns well with the Band 5.5 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar and punctuation is inconsistent. There are several noticeable grammatical errors, such as 'if eaten excessive, it can be unhealthy' (faulty conditional/participle clause and pronoun agreement), punctuation missing at the end of sentences, and awkward phrasing like 'Lunch contain 26 percent of fat , followed snacks which is 21 percent'. Subject-verb agreement errors ('Lunch contain') also occur. While the meaning remains mostly clear despite these errors, the frequent lapses in complex structures limit the score to a Band 5.0.

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

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