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 a 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 of 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 7.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by selecting and reporting the main features of the charts and making relevant comparisons. The overview captures the key trends effectively, noting that dinner dominates sodium and saturated fat while snacks lead in added sugar. Specific data points, such as dinner accounting for 43% of sodium and snacks making up 42% of added sugar, are accurately cited and compared. The response is fully developed and well-grounded in the visual data, meeting all requirements for this criterion with no significant omissions or inaccuracies.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

Information and ideas are logically sequenced throughout the response, ensuring a clear progression from an introductory statement to a general overview, followed by detailed body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different categories of nutrients. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In contrast', and 'A different pattern' are used effectively to guide the reader through the comparisons, though referencing could occasionally be smoother. Overall, the organizational structure is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate and flexible range of vocabulary suitable for an academic task, employing terms such as 'proportion', 'consumption', 'contributor', and 'respectively'. There are minor lexical and punctuation slips, such as 'snack made up' (should be plural 'snacks') and 'breakfast share the smallest proportion' (should be 'shared'). However, these errors do not impede communication, and the vocabulary used is sufficiently precise to discuss percentages and comparative data effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms with good control overall. Complex structures are attempted and mostly managed well, such as in the sentence beginning with 'Notably, breakfast had the same proportion...'. A few minor grammatical and punctuation errors occur, such as the missing preposition in 'lunch was the second largest contributor 29% sodium' and the capitalization error on 'lunch'. Despite these occasional inaccuracies, the majority of sentences are clear and error-free, ensuring the meaning is easily understood.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.