Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-01

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 7.5)

The pie charts illustrate the average proportions of three potentially unhealthy nutrients—sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar—found in four standard daily meals consumed in the United States.

Overall, dinner accounts for the highest consumption of both sodium and saturated fat. In contrast, the vast majority of added sugar is consumed through snacks. Across all three categories, breakfast is consistently the meal with the lowest percentage of these nutrients.

Looking closely at the data, dinner is the primary contributor to sodium and saturated fat intake, at 43% and 37% respectively. Lunch also accounts for a significant portion, making up over a quarter of the daily intake for both nutrients (29% for sodium and 26% for saturated fat).

Conversely, the pattern for added sugar shifts dramatically toward snacks, which command a massive 42% of the total daily intake. This is nearly double the amount found in dinner (23%). Meanwhile, breakfast remains relatively low across the board, accounting for just 14% of sodium and 16% of both saturated fat and added sugar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response is excellent. You have successfully identified the main features of the charts and provided a clear overview. You have made relevant comparisons between the nutrients and the meal types, such as noting that dinner is the primary contributor to sodium and saturated fat, while snacks dominate added sugar intake. The data is accurately reported, and the inclusion of specific percentages supports your points well. You have fully addressed all parts of the task, providing a well-developed summary that meets the requirements for a high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You have used effective paragraphing to separate the introduction and overview from the detailed analysis. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Conversely', and 'Meanwhile' are used naturally to guide the reader through the comparisons. The flow between sentences is smooth, and the information is presented in a way that is easy to follow. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words, and the overall structure is highly coherent.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You have demonstrated a good range of vocabulary, using precise terms such as 'proportions', 'contributor', 'intake', and 'dramatically'. The language is natural and appropriate for an academic report. You have avoided repetition and used collocations effectively, such as 'primary contributor' and 'total daily intake'. While the vocabulary is accurate and fits the context well, incorporating a few more sophisticated or less common lexical items could elevate the response further, but the current range is sufficient for a high score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response displays a high level of grammatical accuracy. You have used a variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences, with confidence. Punctuation is used correctly to enhance clarity. There are no significant grammatical errors, and the control over verb tenses and subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout the text. The writing is fluent, and the grammatical structures used are appropriate for the task, allowing for clear and precise communication of the data.

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

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