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.

Same questionCompare 12 different answers (Band 5–7)

Sample Response

1

The provided line graph shows the pH level in the mouthacid level of our mouth resulting fromwhich is created by the consumption of fruit sugar, cane sugar and& honey and compares their effects on the risk of tooth decaytheir effects on our tooth decay.

2

When the pH level in the mouth is above 5.5, acidity remains at such a level that teeth are unlikely to be in danger from decay. Sweet foods, however, cause pH in the mouth to drop for a time, and the longer the pH levels remain below 5.5, the greater the risk of tooth decaypossibility for decay to occur. The illustration compares the fruit sugar, cane sugar and honey, which are the most common ingredients of sweet foods, causes the pH level to drop below the danger level after 5 minutes. Among these 3 sweet items, cane sugar decreases the pH level most quickly and causes to remain the level under the danger level for the longest period (over 30 minutes) and thus produce the greatest risk among the three. After cane sugar is consumedAfter consuming the cane sugar, the pH level drops to pHlevel 3.5 and remains below pH 5.5 for about 30 minutesremains there for over half an hour. By comparisonOn the other hand, fruit sugar causes the pH level in the mouthacidity level of mouth to fall to about pH 4.2fall under pH level 4 in 5 minutes and remains below the danger levelremains under threat level for 20 minutes. Finally, the honey appears to be less risky among the three causes the pH level to drop to 4.7 in 5 minutes and proceed to above pH 5.5 level within 15 minutes of consumption. In conclusion, all three sweetenersall of the sweet items can causepossess the possibility of causing tooth decay and honey and fruit sugar are likely to cause less decay than the cane sugar does.

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 6.5

The response clearly explains the decay threshold and successfully ranks cane sugar as the greatest risk and honey as the least, using relevant figures for all three substances. The main limitation is data precision: fruit sugar bottoms out above pH 4, and cane sugar does not remain at pH 3.5 for over half an hour. Prioritize tracing each curve accurately from its minimum back above 5.5.

Band score breakdown

IELTS Writing Criteria Scores

TA

Task Achievement

7.0
Scoring rule

The response covers all three curves, the 5.5 danger threshold, and the main risk ranking, but it misstates the fruit-sugar minimum and cane-sugar recovery pattern.

Next step

Report each minimum and the time each curve crosses back above pH 5.5 without implying that the minimum remains constant.

CC

Coherence and Cohesion

6.5
Scoring rule

The explanation follows a logical threshold-to-comparison sequence, though almost all details are compressed into one long body paragraph.

Next step

Separate the overall risk comparison from the curve-by-curve details to make the progression easier to scan.

LR

Lexical Resource

6.5
Scoring rule

There is a useful range of topic vocabulary for acidity, decay, consumption, and risk, alongside several awkward collocations and repetitions.

Next step

Replace phrases such as acid level of our mouth and possess the possibility with acidity in the mouth and pose a risk.

GRA

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

5.5
Scoring rule

Complex structures are attempted frequently, but agreement and clause-construction errors recur in sentences describing how the three substances affect pH.

Next step

Ensure each comparison has a clear subject and finite verb, especially in the fruit-sugar and honey descriptions.

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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.

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