Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-27

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 pie charts compare the average proportions of sodium, saturated fat and sugar consumed in breakfast, lunch,dinner and snacks in USA.

Overall, dinner has the highest proportion of sodium and saturated fat as compared to all other meals whereas snacks accounted for largest share in added sugar.

47% of sodium and 37% of saturated fat is calculated in dinner, which is the highest among all meals whereas it has 23% of added sugar. Lunch also contains quarter of the nutrients that is recorded as 29% and 26% both in salt and fat. 19% of added sugar is contained in lunch .Breakfast has equal amounts of saturated fat and sugar, which is just 16% and also it contains only 14% of sodium ,same as snacks.

Snacks make up the highest proportion of added sugar by 42% and accounts for 21% of saturated fat and has only 14% of sodium in it.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the main features and making relevant comparisons. You successfully highlighted the highest proportions for each nutrient, such as dinner for sodium and saturated fat, and snacks for added sugar. However, the analysis could be improved by grouping the data more effectively to show trends rather than listing percentages in a repetitive manner. While the overview is clear, some of the data reporting is slightly cluttered, which prevents a more sophisticated synthesis of the information. Overall, you have met the requirements of the task by providing a clear summary of the charts.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'whereas' and 'also', to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the paragraphing could be more balanced. For instance, the third paragraph is quite dense with statistics, making it harder to follow. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear focus would improve the progression of your ideas. Referencing is generally clear, but the structure could be more refined to enhance readability.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportions', 'accounted for', and 'nutrients' correctly. However, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive, particularly in the way you describe the data (e.g., 'contains', 'is', 'has'). To reach a higher band, you should aim for more varied and precise lexical items to describe trends and comparisons, such as 'constitutes', 'represents', or 'comprises'. There are no significant spelling errors, and your word choice is generally appropriate for an academic report, though it lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'in USA' (should be 'in the USA') and 'quarter of the nutrients that is recorded as 29% and 26% both in salt and fat' (which is slightly awkward and lacks precision). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article errors throughout. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles would significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

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

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