Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-26

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 charts depict the average percentages in typical meals of three types of nutrients such as sodium, saturated fat and added sugars consumed in the USA, all of which may be unhealthy if eaten too much.

Overall, sodium and saturated fat are contaminated mostly in dinner and added sugar is the part of snack in majority. While added sugar and saturated fat have the lowest figure in breakfast and sodium in both breakfast and snacks.

Sodium and saturated fat are used in dinner 43% and 37% respectively. Furthermore, only 14% sodium is used in both snacks and breakfast. 29% sodium is the part of lunch. 26% saturated fat is used in lunch and 21% in snacks.16% added sugar and saturated fat are used in breakfast.

Added sugar is mostly used in snacks that is 42%. Moreover, 19% added sugar is used in lunch and 23% in dinner. These are sometimes may be unhealthy when they are eaten too much.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the three nutrients and report several key figures accurately, including dinner’s high shares of sodium (43%) and saturated fat (37%), and snacks’ high added sugar (42%). The overview also attempts to compare the main patterns. However, it is not fully clear: “sodium and saturated fat are contaminated mostly in dinner” and “added sugar is the part of snack in majority” obscure the intended findings. The claim that breakfast and snacks have the lowest sodium is broadly supported, but the overview could more clearly contrast dinner’s sodium and saturated-fat peaks with snacks’ added-sugar peak. The response is 139 words, below the 150-word minimum, and the final sentence repeats the prompt rather than adding useful data analysis. Develop the overview and include the missing snack figure for saturated fat (21%).

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs giving figures for sodium, saturated fat and added sugar. This helps the reader locate the main information. However, progression is uneven because the overview is difficult to interpret, and the body moves between nutrients rather than grouping comparisons consistently. For example, the sentence “16% added sugar and saturated fat are used in breakfast” combines two figures without making clear that each is 16%. Some linking words, such as “Furthermore” and “Moreover,” connect sentences mechanically rather than showing a meaningful contrast or addition. Organise the details by meal or by nutrient, use clear comparison links, and ensure each paragraph develops one coherent set of comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “average percentages,” “sodium,” “saturated fat,” “added sugar,” and “lunch,” so the subject is generally identifiable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations make the meaning unclear. “Contaminated mostly in dinner” is not an appropriate way to describe a nutrient’s share; “account for the largest proportions at dinner” would be clearer. Similarly, “the part of snack in majority” is awkward, and “used” is repeated for the chart figures even though “account for” or “represent” would be more precise. Aim for accurate chart-reporting language and vary it selectively, while avoiding phrases that suggest the nutrients are being added or used in a meal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some longer structures, including the overview sentence beginning “While added sugar and saturated fat…,” and most of the figures can still be understood. However, the range is limited, and errors in sentence construction and punctuation occur often enough to affect clarity. The “While” clause is left without a complete main clause, while “Sodium and saturated fat are used in dinner 43% and 37% respectively” has an awkward sentence pattern and unclear placement of the percentages. In “These are sometimes may be unhealthy,” the adverbs are incorrectly combined. There are also missing spaces after full stops, as in “snacks.16%.” Practise complete clauses, clear subject–verb patterns, and accurate punctuation when presenting paired figures.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.