Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-30
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 illustrates the food intake in the USA that consists of sodium, saturated fats and sugars, measured in percentages.
Overall, sodium and saturated fat account for the largest proportion at dinner, whereas almost half of the added sugar is consumed in snacks. In contrast, breakfast has the lowest proportions overall.
Dinner had the highest percentages of sodium and saturated fat, at about 43% and 37%, respectively. Lunch was next, with around 29% of sodium and 26% of saturated fat. By comparison, breakfast accounted for only 14% of sodium and 16% of saturated fat.
In terms of added sugar, snacks had the highest proportion at almost 50%, occupied half of it. This is followed by lunch at 19%, while breakfast accounted for 16%. Dinner had the lowest percentage of added sugar at approximately 23%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student successfully selects and reports the main features of the charts, providing an overview and making accurate comparisons between the three nutrients. Key data points, such as dinner being the highest for sodium (43%) and saturated fat (37%), and snacks being the highest for added sugar (42%), are correctly identified. However, there is a minor contradiction and imprecision in the final sentence where the student states dinner had the lowest percentage of added sugar at approximately 23%, which incorrectly contradicts the chart where breakfast/lunch are lower or misinterprets the ranking. Furthermore, the response is under-length, containing only 135 words against the 150-word minimum requirement. This negative impact on word count leads to a penalty under Task Achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is generally coherent with a logical overall arrangement. An introduction paraphrasing the prompt is followed by an overview paragraph, and subsequent body paragraphs group information by nutrient type. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'Overall', 'In contrast', 'By comparison', and 'In terms of'. However, paragraphing is somewhat brief and cohesion is occasionally mechanical. The referencing in the final sentence ('Dinner had the lowest percentage of added sugar at approximately 23%') creates confusion because dinner actually has the highest added sugar among the meals, making the logical progression slightly faulty at the end. Overall, the organizational structure is clear enough to meet the criteria for Band 6.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, including terms like 'proportion', 'consumed', 'accounted for', and 'percentage'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, though some phrasing is awkward or grammatically imprecise, such as 'occupied half of it' when describing the added sugar proportion in snacks. Word choice is generally clear, and errors do not impede communication, though lexical flexibility is somewhat limited. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate throughout the response.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and introductory prepositional phrases ('In terms of added sugar, snacks had...'). There are several grammatical errors and awkward constructions, most notably in the sentence 'at almost 50%, occupied half of it', which lacks a clear subject and verb agreement. Another error occurs in data reporting where prepositional phrasing could be tighter. Despite these errors in grammar and punctuation, the sentences remain largely comprehensible, and communication is only rarely impeded.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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