Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-09

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 pie chart illustrate the average percentages in typical meals which may be unhealthy if eaten too much.

Overall, a key link between three charts is evident: while dinner represented almost half of all meals, lunch emerged as the most popular meal among individuals in USA, whereas snacks was mainly preferred by citizen of USA.

Turning to the pie chart, Dinner constituted the largest share of meal, accounting for nearly half of the total at 43%. Lunch represented the second most common meal at 29%, followed by people of USA. In contrast, breakfast were the least eaten meal, making up just 16% of the overall distribution.

Regarding the pie chart, sodium has the highest percentage of portion in dinner, whereas saturated fats has the second highest portion in snacks. Sugar also play a vital portion in snacks. Breakfast has the most combined nutritions, meanwhile lunch has the moderate amoun of all nutritions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies dinner as the largest share for sodium and gives its 43% figure, but it does not accurately summarise the charts as a whole. The overview incorrectly says dinner represents almost half of “all meals” and that lunch is the most popular meal; the figures show nutrient shares within meal types, not meal popularity. It also reports breakfast as 16% for the overall distribution, although sodium is 14%, saturated fat 16%, and added sugar 16%. The final paragraph makes broad claims such as breakfast having the “most combined nutritions” without support from the data, and omits several key comparisons, including added sugar peaking in snacks at 42%. The response is also six words below the 150-word minimum. A clear overview and accurate comparisons across all three nutrients are needed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic paragraph structure: an introduction, an overview, and two detail paragraphs. Sequencing phrases such as “Overall,” “Turning to,” and “Regarding” help signal movement between sections. However, the progression is weakened because the overview and first detail paragraph discuss meal popularity, which the charts do not show, and the final paragraph shifts abruptly to nutrient percentages without organising them clearly. Repeating “the pie chart” also makes the links between ideas mechanical, while “followed by people of USA” does not complete a clear comparison. Group the information by nutrient or by meal, and use references that make each comparison explicit; this would create a more coherent progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response attempts some task-appropriate vocabulary, including “accounting for,” “constituted,” “represented,” and “in contrast,” and the reader can generally recognise the intended topic. However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing these charts: “popular meal,” “preferred,” and “least eaten” imply meal frequency, while the data show nutrient percentages. Phrases such as “highest percentage of portion,” “combined nutritions,” and “moderate amoun” are imprecise, and “citizen of USA” is an awkward expression. There is some repetition of “pie chart” and “portion.” Use precise terms such as “share,” “proportion,” and “nutrient content,” and check spelling and collocations to make comparisons clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes both simple sentences and attempts at more complex structures, such as the contrast beginning “while dinner represented…” and the clause introduced by “whereas.” Meaning is usually recoverable, but errors in agreement, articles, and verb forms are noticeable. For example, “The pie chart illustrate” needs a singular verb, “snacks was” should agree with a plural noun, and “Breakfast were” is also incorrect. In “sodium has the highest percentage … whereas saturated fats has,” the verb does not agree with its subject. The final sentence also has a faulty structure around “meanwhile.” Practise accurate subject–verb agreement and build comparisons in complete, parallel clauses; this will improve control while retaining sentence variety.

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

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