Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-31

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 proportion of three nutrients across different conventional meal time in the USA, overconsumption of any of the nutrients can be unhealthy.

Overall, people consumed the most amount of sodium and saturated fat during dinner. However, breakfast accounted for the lowest share across all three categories. Furthermore, snack time recorded a low contribution in sodium intake, but is the primary drive for added sugar consumption. Lastly, lunch proportion remained relatively stable across the categories.

Dinner was the most prominent factor for sodium intake, accounting for 43%. However, this share decreased in other categories. In terms of saturated fat and added sugar, it only accounted for 37% and 23% respectively, showing a smaller contribution compared with sodium intake. Additionally, lunch reported an identical trend. Its largest proportion is in sodium intake (29%), but it falls in other nutrients intake, accounting for 26% in saturated fat and merely 19% in added sugar.

Snack reported the biggest difference among three categories; its lowest is in sodium consumption (14%) and its largest share is at added sugar (42%), reporting a 28% difference. Similarly, breakfast showed a similar development, accounting for only 14% in sodium but 16% in the other categories (saturated fat and added sugar).

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the key features of the charts and provided relevant comparisons. The overview clearly highlights the main trends, such as dinner being the highest for sodium and saturated fat, while snacks dominate sugar intake. You have selected data points effectively to support your descriptions. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are precise; for instance, when you mention 'lunch reported an identical trend' to dinner, it is slightly inaccurate as the proportions differ significantly. Additionally, ensure that the data interpretation is consistently accurate across all categories to fully satisfy the requirements of a Band 8 response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central focus, and you have used cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Furthermore', and 'Additionally' to link your sentences effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response. To improve, ensure that the referencing is always clear; for example, in the final paragraph, 'the other categories' is slightly ambiguous. Overall, the flow of information is smooth and easy to follow, demonstrating a good command of organizational structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your points clearly, including terms like 'proportion', 'overconsumption', 'prominent factor', and 'contribution'. There is some evidence of less common lexical items, which is positive. However, there are minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'conventional meal time' (should be 'meal times') and 'primary drive' (which is slightly unnatural in this context). To achieve a higher score, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring that your vocabulary is consistently natural throughout the report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free, which allows for easy communication. There are a few minor grammatical slips, such as 'overconsumption of any of the nutrients can be unhealthy' (a comma splice) and 'among three categories' (should be 'among the three categories'). Despite these occasional errors, your control over grammar is generally strong, and the errors do not impede the reader's understanding of the data. Increasing the variety of complex structures would further enhance your score.

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

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