Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-07

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 illustrate the average proportion of nutrients in normal meals of Americans-breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner, which when consumed in a large amount lead to health risks.

Overall, dinner accounts for the majority of sodium and saturated fats, whereas snack is the major source of added sugar. Breakfast constitutes for the least amount in all the meals.

Sodium and saturated fats are consumed majorly during dinner at 43% and 37% respectively, while 23% of added sugar is obtained from dinner. Lunch is a fairly medium source of all nutrients representing 29% for sodium, 26% for saturated fat and 19% for added sugar. Snack is a lower source of nutrient in the case of sodium and saturated fat sitting at 14% and 21%, however 42% of added sugar is received from it.

Breakfast is the meal with the least proportion of all the nutrients, with 14% for sodium and 16% for rest of the two.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively addresses the task by identifying the main features and making relevant comparisons. You have successfully highlighted the key trends, such as dinner being the primary source of sodium and saturated fats, and snacks being the main source of added sugar. The data is accurately reported, and the overview provides a clear summary of the information. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are fully developed; for instance, you could explicitly contrast the snack category's high sugar content with its lower sodium and saturated fat levels more fluidly. Overall, the response covers all requirements well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, and you use cohesive devices like 'whereas', 'while', and 'however' to link information effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different nutrients and meal types. The referencing is generally clear, though the flow could be slightly improved by using more varied transition signals between sentences to avoid a somewhat mechanical feel in the body paragraphs. Overall, the structure is sound and supports the reader's understanding.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'constitutes for the least amount' and 'fairly medium source' are understandable but slightly unnatural in an academic context. You use some specific terminology related to the charts, such as 'proportion' and 'nutrients'. To improve, focus on more precise collocations; for example, 'constitutes the least' is better than 'constitutes for the least'. Expanding your range to include more sophisticated synonyms for 'source' or 'amount' would help elevate the lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are some minor grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'snack is the major source' (should be 'snacks are') and '16% for rest of the two' (should be 'the rest of the two'). The use of punctuation is generally correct, and the sentence variety is adequate for the task. To achieve a higher score, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and using articles correctly throughout the text. Most sentences are error-free, which is a positive sign.

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

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