Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-24

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 4.5)

The pie chart illustrates the average percentages in typical meals of three types of nutrients, all of which may be unhealthy if eaten too much.

Overall, meals consumed in the USA for sodium and saturated fat as well as added sugar increased over the period.While the breakfast recorded the lowest.

Looking at the, sodium the average proportions of the dinner is about 43% while, the proportions of the saturated fat is about 37%. While the percentage of sodium for lunch is about 29% as well as for the saturated fat is about 26% and rest for the added sugar is around 19%.

Turning to the, sodium the average percentage for the breakfast is around 14% as well as proportions for the saturated fat and added sugar reamins stable which is around 16%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response identifies the chart topic and reports some accurate figures, including dinner’s 43% share of sodium, 37% for saturated fat, and lunch’s 29% and 26% respectively. However, it does not give a reliable overview: the claim that all three nutrients “increased over the period” is inaccurate because the chart compares meal types, not time, and the key contrast of added sugar being highest in snacks (42%) is omitted. Several figures and meal categories are left unreported, and the final sentence is incomplete. The response is also 39 words below the 150-word minimum; 21 copied prompt words do not count. To improve, describe the main contrasts across meals and include the missing snack and added-sugar data.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic paragraph structure, with an introduction, an attempted overview, and two detail paragraphs. The reader can follow some of the figures, and phrases such as “Overall” and “Turning to” show an effort to organise information. However, progression is weak because the details are not grouped consistently by meal or nutrient, and the overview’s reference to an “increase over the period” does not fit the chart. Linking is often awkward or repetitive, particularly the repeated “as well as” and sentence fragments beginning “While.” Punctuation also interrupts flow, as in “Looking at the, sodium.” Group the comparisons more clearly—for example, dinner and lunch figures together, then breakfast and snacks—and use linking words only where they clarify the relationship.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses a small range of relevant chart vocabulary, including “average percentages,” “proportions,” “sodium,” “saturated fat,” and “added sugar.” These terms make the subject generally clear, and “illustrates” is an appropriate reporting verb. However, vocabulary is repetitive, especially “proportions” and “percentage,” and some combinations are unnatural, such as “the proportions of the saturated fat” and “the breakfast recorded the lowest.” The phrase “increased over the period” also misrepresents the chart’s categories, while “remains stable” is not suitable for comparing meal shares. Aim for precise expressions such as “accounted for,” “was highest in,” and “the smallest share,” and check spelling, including “remains.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts a few complex structures, including “all of which may be unhealthy if eaten too much” and a contrast introduced with “While.” However, sentence control is inconsistent, and several clauses are incomplete or poorly joined. “While the breakfast recorded the lowest” has no completed comparison, and “While the percentage of sodium for lunch is about 29%…” is also a fragment. The sentence beginning “Looking at the, sodium…” contains misplaced punctuation, while “the average proportions of the dinner is” has an agreement problem. These errors make some relationships difficult to follow. Use complete subject–verb sentences, check singular and plural agreement, and punctuate introductory phrases cleanly. A wider range of accurately controlled sentence patterns would improve clarity.

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

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