Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-22

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 percentages of sodium, saturated fats and added sugars in typical meals consumed in the USA.

Overall, dinner accounts for the largest proportions of sodium and saturated fat consumption, whereas snacks are the main source of added sugar.

Dinner accounts for the largest proportions of sodium and saturated fat consumption, at 43% and 37%, respectively. Lunch is the second-largest sources of sodium and saturated fat with 29% and 26%, respectively, whereas it is the third biggest source of added sugar. Coversely, snacks accounts for the largest proportion of added sugar consumption, at 42%, while dinner accounts for 23% added sugar, followed by lunch.

Breakfast accounts for the smallest proportions of consumption across all three categories.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully identifies the overall trends and makes accurate comparisons between the three categories of nutrients across the four meal types. Key features such as dinner being the highest for sodium (43%) and saturated fat (37%), and snacks leading in added sugars (42%), are correctly reported with accurate data directly from the charts. An overview is present, and comparisons are made where relevant. However, the response falls short of the 150-word minimum, containing only 120 words. This under-length impacts the full development of ideas, placing this criterion at Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement and logical progression. Information is introduced with an effective introductory sentence and a concise overview paragraph. Cohesive devices and referencing are used generally well, such as 'whereas' and 'respectively', though there is a minor typo ('Coversely') and a repetitive sentence structure in the body paragraph. Paragraphing is logical, separating the introduction, overview, body details, and concluding generalization. Overall, cohesion is reasonably well managed, supporting a clear flow of ideas throughout the short text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is adequate and generally accurate for the task, incorporating appropriate topic-specific terms such as 'proportions', 'consumption', 'nutrients', and 'categories'. The student attempts some less common vocabulary and accurate collocation ('largest proportions', 'main source'). However, there is a spelling/word-choice slip ('Coversely' instead of 'Conversely') and a pluralization error ('Lunch is the second-largest sources'). The lexical range is sufficient to convey the information clearly, but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, successfully employing subordinate clauses and comparative structures (e.g., 'whereas snacks are the main source', 'while dinner accounts for 23% added sugar, followed by lunch'). Grammatical control is generally good, though there is a subject-verb agreement error ('Lunch is the second-largest sources') and a minor typographical error in a transition word. Errors are infrequent and do not impede communication at all, with a good number of error-free sentences present.

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

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