Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-15

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 chart illustrates the proportion of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar in typical meal consumed in the USA.

Overall, dinner accounts for the largest proportion of sodium and saturated fat consumption, whereas snack made up the highest proportion of added sugar intake. Breakfast consistently represents the smallest share of all three nutrients.

Dinner accounts for the highest proportion of both sodium and saturated fat at, 43% and 37% respectively. lunch was the second largest contributor 29% sodium and 26% saturated fat. In contrast, breakfast share the smallest proportion 14% sodium and 16% for saturated fat. Snacks accounted for 14% consumption while their contribution to saturated fat was sightly higher, at 21%.

A different pattern can be seen in the consumption of added sugar. Snacks made up the largest proportion, at 42%, which was almost twice the figure for dinner, at 23%. Lunch accounted for 19% of added sugar intake, while breakfast had the lowest percentage, at 16%. Notably, breakfast had the same proportion of added sugar and saturated fat, whereas snacks showed a much higher contribution to added sugar than to either sodium or saturated fat.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The student covers all parts of the task well, providing a clear summary of the main features and making appropriate comparisons across the three nutrients. The overview accurately identifies the key trends, noting that dinner is the primary source of sodium and saturated fat, whereas snacks dominate added sugar consumption, and breakfast consistently represents the lowest share. Data is accurately reported from the charts, such as 'dinner accounts for the highest proportion of both sodium and saturated fat at, 43% and 37% respectively,' and specific comparisons between meals are effectively highlighted. The information is well-selected and directly addresses the prompt requirements without including irrelevant details, meeting all the criteria for a strong task response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information is divided into logical paragraphs, starting with an introductory sentence, followed by an overarching summary paragraph, and then detailed body paragraphs examining the nutrients separately. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall,' 'In contrast,' and 'A different pattern can be seen' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the data. Referencing is generally clear, and paragraphing is handled well, although occasional minor awkwardness in transitions prevents a higher band. Overall, the structural progression is easy to follow and meets the descriptors for Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student displays a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, using terms such as 'proportion,' 'consumption,' 'contributor,' and 'respectively.' Less common lexical items are attempted, and the vocabulary is generally appropriate for an academic report. However, there are some minor mechanical and word-choice errors, such as missing articles ('typical meal' instead of 'a typical meal'), incorrect capitalization ('lunch' at the start of a sentence), and punctuation slips like 'at, 43%'. Despite these occasional errors, communication is never impeded, and the range of vocabulary is adequate to achieve a solid Band 6.5 or 7.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response employs a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including comparative clauses and introductory prepositional phrases. There are several instances of error-free sentences, demonstrating good control of basic grammar. However, a few grammatical and punctuation errors persist, such as capitalization issues ('lunch was the second largest...'), comma splices or unnecessary punctuation ('at, 43%'), and missing pluralisation or articles ('breakfast share the smallest proportion'). These errors do not impede communication, but their frequency prevents the assignment of a higher band score.

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

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