Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-08

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.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Average percentages of sodium, saturated fats and added sugars in typical meals consumed in the USA

Student answer (Band 6.5)

The chart below illustrate the average proportion in typical meals that gives sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar, of which may not be beneficial to the body if eaten a lot. Overall, dinner remained the meal with the highest proportion of all the nutrients. Meanwhile the proportion of added sugar is relatively high only in snack. While other meals saw modest proportions of nutrients in all collective meals.

Dinner saw the highest proportion of 43% in sodium. It slightly went down in saturated fats reaching 37% and dropped drastically in added sugar recorded 23%. Meanwhile snack had seen the low proportion of sodium and saturated fat that were 14% to 21%, however, added sugar was substantially high to exactly 42%. In contrast lunch consisted of 29% of sodium, 26% of saturated fat and relatively small proportion in added sugar. Meanwhile, breakfast recorded very low proportions among all the nutrients, 14% in sodium, 16% in saturated fats and 16% in added sugar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the main features of the three nutrients across four meal types. You successfully highlighted the dominance of dinner for most nutrients and the specific peak of added sugar in snacks. However, the overview is slightly weak; while it mentions dinner, it could be more precise by explicitly noting the overall trend of sodium and saturated fats being highest at dinner. The data is generally accurate, though the phrasing 'proportion in typical meals that gives sodium' is slightly imprecise. To reach a higher band, ensure the overview provides a more comprehensive summary of the key trends rather than just listing individual meal characteristics.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs detailing the data. Cohesive devices such as 'meanwhile', 'in contrast', and 'while' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. For example, the sentence 'While other meals saw modest proportions of nutrients in all collective meals' is a fragment and lacks a clear connection to the previous thought. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that every sentence contributes to a clear, unified paragraph structure would enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'substantially', and 'drastically'. However, there are some issues with word choice and collocation. For instance, 'gives sodium' is unnatural; 'contains' or 'provides' would be more appropriate. Additionally, 'low proportion of sodium... that were 14% to 21%' is slightly awkward. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, it lacks the flexibility and sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader, such as 'The chart below illustrate' (subject-verb agreement) and 'snack had seen the low proportion' (tense usage). The phrase 'all of which may be unhealthy if eaten too much' is a good attempt at a complex structure, but the overall control is inconsistent. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement, article usage, and tense consistency. Increasing the frequency of error-free complex sentences will help you achieve a higher score in this criterion.

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

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