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 provided line graph illustrates the acid level in the mouth which is created by consuming sweet foods specifically sugar and honey and the possibility of tooth decay because of this acid level. As is presented in the line-graph, the higher the acid level the lower the pH value and a pH level less than 5.5 is detrimental to the tooth and causes the tooth decay. The graphThe given graph shows that the initial pH level in the mouththe initial pH level of our mouth is 7 which begins to fall after consuming sweet foods. When we eat a sweet itemsweet item such as cane sugarlike cane sugar, the pH level drops to 3.5 after 5 minutes and remains in the danger zoneremain in danger level (below pH 5.5below pH level 5.5) for more than 30 minutes. Consuming fruit sugar causes the pH level to dropConsuming fruit sugar drops the pH level to about 4.2nearly to 4 and keeps it in the danger zoneremains at danger level for about 20 minutes. FinallyAnd finally, when we eat honey, the pH level falls below 5 and it remains in the danger zoneunder risk level for about 13 minutes. Because a low pH indicatesAs the low pH level means higher acidity and causes tooth decay, cane sugarcane sugar among the mentioned three food items is the most harmful to our teethtooth.
Why this response received Band 6.5
The response clearly explains the 5.5 pH danger threshold and accurately distinguishes cane sugar as producing the deepest, longest-lasting acidity, with relevant figures for all three foods. Its main weakness is that the overview is incomplete and the report does not highlight the shared recovery to pH 7 or honey’s much faster recovery; prioritise a concise comparative overview, exact timing, and cleaner grammatical control.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The report accurately covers the threshold, the initial drops, and the relative dental risk, but it omits the common return to pH 7 and understates the full comparison.
Add an overview comparing depth and recovery time, noting that honey recovers fastest and all three return to neutral by 40 minutes.
Coherence and Cohesion
The description follows a sensible sequence from the threshold through the three foods to the implication, but the single-paragraph presentation limits structural clarity.
Use a separate overview and group the detailed comparisons by initial fall and recovery duration.
Lexical Resource
Relevant scientific vocabulary conveys the graph effectively, although repeated phrases such as “acid level” and imprecise expressions such as “danger level” restrict flexibility.
Vary the language with precise terms such as “acidity,” “critical threshold,” “lowest pH,” and “recovery period.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Meaning remains clear and some complex structures are used, but recurring agreement, article, and countability errors reduce accuracy.
Check subject–verb agreement and noun forms in phrases such as “sweet items,” “the pH remains,” and “harmful to teeth.”
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.