Eating sweet foods produces acid in the mouth, which can cause tooth decay. (High acid levels are measured by low pH values) Describe the information below and discuss the implications for dental health.
Sample Response
The given line graph illustrates the various acid levels in the mouth related to three different sweet foods such as fruit sugar, cane sugar and honey. The first point to note is that acid levels due to these different sweets are at a level at tooth decay is unlikely to occur both at the time of eating and after 15 minutes of eating. At the moment of eating of three sweets, acid levels are very low and equal at 7 pH. Then after 5 minutes, it dropped to a pH of 3.5, 4.5, and 5 by cane and fruit sugar and honey respectively. Acid levels in the mouth gradually decrease and reached to the minimum value within half an hour of cane sugar eating. Acid variations in mouth after eating fruit and cane sugar are almost equal for the next 5 minutes and followed by a difference of 1 pH value for the next 20 minutes. However, after 30minutes of eating sugar and cane sugar, pH value raised and reached to 7 and the acid level hit the lowest level. To sum up, it is clear from the graph that, the given sweets produces high levels of acids in the mouth soon after eating, but reaches to a safe level which tooth decay is not likely to occur within 10-15 minutes.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Name the measure Original: various acid levels Suggested revision: changes in pH Why it matters: The graph directly measures pH, while acidity changes inversely with it.
- 2. Clarify relationship Original: related to Suggested revision: caused by consuming Why it matters: This phrase states clearly that the pH changes follow consumption of the foods.
- 3. Introduce full list Original: such as Suggested revision: namely Why it matters: These are all three foods in the graph, so “namely” is more accurate than an example marker.
- 4. Correct time phrase Original: At the moment of eating of three sweets Suggested revision: Immediately after all three foods are eaten Why it matters: The original phrase has an ungrammatical sequence of prepositions.
- 5. Order pH correctly Original: equal at 7 pH Suggested revision: equal at pH 7 Why it matters: The standard form places “pH” before the numerical value.
- 6. Match plural subject Original: it dropped Suggested revision: the pH values dropped Why it matters: Three plotted values are being described, so a plural subject is required.
- 7. Refine plotted values Original: 3.5, 4.5, and 5 Suggested revision: 3.5, about 4.2, and about 4.8 Why it matters: These values more closely reflect the three curves at five minutes.
- 8. Correct data phrasing Original: by cane and fruit sugar and honey respectively Suggested revision: for cane sugar, fruit sugar and honey, respectively Why it matters: The preposition and punctuation are needed to map the values clearly to the foods.
- 9. Add auxiliary verb Original: and followed by Suggested revision: and are followed by Why it matters: The plural subject “variations” requires the auxiliary verb “are.”
- 10. Use pH unit Original: 1 pH value Suggested revision: one pH unit Why it matters: A numerical gap on this scale is expressed in pH units.
- 11. Fix subject agreement Original: the given sweets produces Suggested revision: these sweet foods produce Why it matters: The plural subject requires “produce,” and “sweet foods” is the clearer noun phrase.
- 12. Use uncountable acid Original: acids Suggested revision: acid Why it matters: “Acid” is uncountable when referring generally to acidity in the mouth.
Suggested Rewrites
- various acid levels changes in pH
- related to caused by consuming
- such as namely
- At the moment of eating of three sweets Immediately after all three foods are eaten
- equal at 7 pH equal at pH 7
- it dropped the pH values dropped
Why this response received Band 5.0
The response identifies the three foods and includes several approximate pH readings, giving the report a recognizable factual basis. However, it repeatedly confuses low pH with low acidity and inaccurately states when the mouth returns to a safe level, so the central dental-health implications are unreliable. The highest priority is to distinguish acidity from pH and compare how long each food keeps the pH below the decay threshold.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
Some values are selected, but the report reverses the relationship between pH and acidity and gives inaccurate recovery times and safety conclusions.
State that lower pH means greater acidity and accurately compare the periods below pH 5.5 for honey, fruit sugar, and cane sugar.
Coherence and Cohesion
The account follows the time axis loosely, but it is presented as one dense paragraph and contradictory descriptions weaken progression.
Use an introduction, a clear overview, and grouped detail paragraphs that move consistently from the initial fall to recovery.
Lexical Resource
There is sufficient vocabulary for the topic, but repeated imprecise collocations such as acid levels are very low at pH 7 obscure the data.
Differentiate precisely between pH falling, acidity rising, and the mouth returning to a safe pH level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Meaning is generally recoverable, but frequent errors in agreement, articles, prepositions, and clause construction reduce accuracy.
Check subject-verb agreement and practise complete relative-clause patterns, especially when describing the level at which decay occurs.
Write this task while it is fresh
Try the same task now. It helps you remember the feedback and write better next time.
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
Eating sweet foods produces acid in the mouth, which can cause tooth decay. (High acid levels are measured by low pH values) Describe the information below and discuss the implications for dental health.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.