Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 charts depict the information about the average ratio in typical meals of three types of nutrients, all of which may be unhealthy if eaten too much.

Overall, it is crsytal clear that the percentage of sodium is highest in the dinner, while the proporation of sodium in snacks and breakfast remained similar.

At the fleeting glance, the highest percentage of sodium in dinner, which is noted as 43%, followed by 42% of sugar in snacks. After that the ratio of sugar in breakfast and lunch is 16% and 19% respectively. Apart from this, 23% sugar is added in dinner. Less than 30% sodium in lunch.

Moving further, proportion of sodium in snacks and breakfast remained similar, which is noted as 14%. There is difference of saturated fat between snacks and lunch of 5%. More than 35% fat is added in dinner. 16% saturated fat added in breakfast.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify some important figures, including dinner’s 43% share of sodium, snacks’ 42% share of added sugar, and the 14% sodium figures for breakfast and snacks. However, the overview is narrow: it highlights sodium but does not summarise the contrasting pattern for added sugar or the fact that dinner is highest for sodium and saturated fat while snacks lead for sugar. Several figures are mentioned without clear comparisons, and the saturated-fat data are especially incomplete. The response is also 18 words below the 150-word minimum; the 18 words copied from the task prompt are not counted. Add a fuller overview and report the main patterns with accurate, clearly linked comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has an introduction, an overview and two detail paragraphs, so there is some organisation. However, the progression between ideas is not consistently clear: the first detail paragraph moves from sodium and sugar to an isolated statement about lunch sodium, while the next shifts between sodium and saturated fat. Linking phrases such as “At the fleeting glance,” “After that,” and “Moving further” do not always show the relationship between the figures, and some information is repeated, particularly the similar sodium shares in breakfast and snacks. Group the data by nutrient or by the most notable comparisons, and use transitions that clarify how each point relates to the previous one.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “percentage,” “proportion,” “saturated fat,” and “added sugar,” and you attempt variation rather than relying on one term throughout. However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “average ratio” for chart percentages, “At the fleeting glance,” and “fat is added in dinner.” There are also spelling errors in “crsytal” and “proporation,” which reduce precision. Use standard chart language and collocations, for example “share,” “accounted for,” and “the proportion of saturated fat in dinner.” More accurate word choice and spelling would make the comparisons easier to understand.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple statements and a more complex sentence, as in “the highest percentage of sodium in dinner, which is noted as 43%.” However, this construction is incomplete because it lacks a main verb, and several other statements are also fragments, including “Less than 30% sodium in lunch” and “16% saturated fat added in breakfast.” Articles and prepositions are sometimes missing or awkward, as in “in dinner” and “in snacks and breakfast remained similar.” These errors make some relationships less clear, although the intended figures can generally be understood. Build complete sentences with a subject and verb, and check article use and sentence boundaries.

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

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