Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-01

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 chart illustrates the average percentage of three different types of nutrients use in typical meals, which over consumption may not be healthy.

Overall, proportion of all three nutrients is comparatively low in breakfast than the other meals. In contrast, dinner has largest share of Sodium and Saturated fat.

Dinner has largest amount of Sodium and Saturated fats with 43% and 37% respectively. Whereas , lunch comes after with 26% and 29%. Futhermore, Snacks only contribute 14% of Sodium and 16% of Saturated fat.

On the other hand, Snacks has largest share of added sugar with 42% , follwed by Dinner with 23%. Lunch only contributes 23%.

Only breakfast has the lowest amount kf all three nutrients; Sodium 14%, Saturated fat 16% and added sugar 16%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the task partially and attempts to cover all four charts showing sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar percentages. An overview is provided, noting that breakfast has lower proportions overall while dinner peaks for sodium and saturated fat. However, key comparisons are sometimes inaccurate or contradictory. For instance, the text claims 'Lunch only contributes 23%' for added sugar, which conflicts with the visual data showing 23% for dinner and 42% for snacks. Furthermore, the response relies on some repetitive data points without fully extending the comparisons. Importantly, the word count requirement is not met, as the response contains only 128 words, falling short of the 150-word minimum. To reach a higher band, the writer must expand the analysis, ensure complete accuracy when reporting data, and meet the minimum length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates some organization with basic paragraphing and an overall attempt to group the information logically, starting with an overview followed by body paragraphs for the nutrients. However, there is a lack of clear overall progression, and cohesive devices are sometimes mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'Futhermore' and repetitive transitional phrases like 'On the other hand'. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and punctuation errors around conjunctions, such as 'Whereas , lunch comes after', disrupt the flow. To improve, the writer needs to employ a wider and more accurate range of cohesive devices and ensure smoother transitions between ideas to create a stronger sense of progression throughout the text.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to convey the basic information from the charts, utilizing terms like 'proportion', 'share', and 'contribute'. There are noticeable errors in word choice, spelling, and word form, such as 'use' instead of 'used', 'Futhermore' instead of 'Furthermore', and 'kf' instead of 'of'. Additionally, collocation is sometimes awkward, such as 'dinner has largest amount'. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, but these lexical slips and spelling mistakes cause occasional difficulty for the reader. To achieve a higher band, the student should expand their lexical range, ensure correct word forms, and eliminate spelling errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response employs a limited range of sentence structures, mostly relying on simple statements with occasional attempts at complex forms that are sometimes faulty. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles, such as 'The given Pie chart illustrates the average percentage' and 'proportion of all three nutrients', as well as subject-verb agreement issues like 'Snacks has largest share'. Punctuation errors also persist throughout the text. These frequent errors occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. To progress to a higher band, the writer needs to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures with greater control, while reducing basic grammatical errors in articles and verb agreements.

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

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