Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-05

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 three pie graphs compare the proportion of three types of nutrients in typical diet (sodium, saturated fats, added sugar)in a typical diet in the USA. Excessive consumption of these nutrients may lead to health problems.

Overall, it is clear that dinner contributes the largest proportion of sodium and snacks consist of added sugar. While saturated fat consists sightly smaller numbers.

In the first pie graph, sodium reflects subsequently higher contribution to the dinner at 43%, and lunch 29%. In addition, breakfast and snacks depicted relatively smaller portion. Consumption of saturated fats in dinner is 37%, lunch at 26%, whereas figures for snacks and breakfast are 21% and 16% respectively.

Furthermore, content of sugar in snacks record substantially second largest proportion among other two nutrients, which is 42%. Dinner contain 23% content of sugar and lunch has 19%. While breakfast shows the least amount of added sugar in the meal of consumers all over the USA.

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 charts. You successfully highlight the key data points for sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars. However, the overview is slightly weak; while you mention dinner and snacks, the comparison between the three nutrients could be more integrated. For instance, noting that dinner is the primary source for two out of the three nutrients would have strengthened the summary. The data is generally accurate, though the phrasing 'saturated fat consists slightly smaller numbers' is vague and lacks precision. Overall, the response provides a clear summary of the main trends, meeting the requirements for a Band 6.5 or 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'In addition,' 'Furthermore,' and 'whereas' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'While saturated fat consists slightly smaller numbers,' which lacks a clear connection to the previous point. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different nutrients. To reach a higher band, ensure that the flow between sentences is smoother and that cohesive devices are used to highlight relationships between the data points more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion,' 'consumption,' and 'substantially.' There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'depicted relatively smaller portion' (should be 'a smaller proportion') and 'record substantially second largest proportion' (which is awkward phrasing). While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, the precision is inconsistent. The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the information clearly, but it lacks the flexibility and natural control required for a higher band score. Focusing on more precise collocations will help improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'in typical diet' (missing article), 'dinner contain' (subject-verb agreement), and 'among other two nutrients' (should be 'the other two'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. You have attempted some complex structures, but they are not always error-free. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, as these are recurring issues throughout the text.

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

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