Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-02
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 three kinds of nutrients consumed in typical meals in the USA.
Overall, dinner has the highest percentages of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks has the greatest percentage of added sugar. In contrast, breakfast has the lowest percentages of all three nutrients.
To begin, in the United States of America, dinner accounted for 43% of sodium and 37% of saturated fat consumption. These figures were significantly higher at dinner than in other meals. Furthermore, snacks accounted for 42% of added sugar followed by dinner at 23%.
In sharp contrast to this, breakfast accounted for only 14% of sodium. This figure was lowest in breakfast among other meals. Additionally, breakfast has 16% of saturated fat and added sugar each. Finally, lunch accounted for 29% of sodium, 26% of saturated fat, and 19% of added sugar. These figures remained similar accross all three nutrients with no huge difference.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0
The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the charts and making relevant comparisons. You present a clear overview identifying key extremes, noting that dinner dominates sodium and saturated fat while snacks lead in added sugar, with breakfast consistently lowest. The key data points—such as dinner accounting for 43% of sodium and snacks representing 42% of added sugar—are accurately cited from the visual data. The response meets the requirements of the lower band by covering all key data categories, while also displaying elements of the higher band through clear selection and highlighting of major trends. However, some supporting details could be slightly more extended or integrated to achieve a more cohesive analytical flow.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The response demonstrates a clear overall progression and logical organization. You introduce the charts effectively in the opening sentence and provide a well-structured overview paragraph. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the data, utilizing transition phrases such as 'To begin', 'Furthermore', and 'In sharp contrast to this'. Paragraphing is handled appropriately, separating the general overview from the detailed body points. To reach a higher standard, referencing and cohesive links could be managed with greater flexibility, avoiding slightly mechanical connectors and ensuring smoother transitions between the individual meal categories and nutrient breakdowns.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, demonstrating a sufficient range to describe statistical data effectively. You successfully employ appropriate terms such as 'illustrate', 'accounted for', 'consumption', and 'percentage'. There are some attempts to use less common vocabulary and comparative structures, such as 'significantly higher' and 'in sharp contrast'. However, there are minor lexical and grammatical word-choice inaccuracies, such as writing 'snacks has' instead of 'snacks have', and a slight awkwardness in phrasing like 'lowest in breakfast among other meals'. These minor slips do not impede communication, but eliminating them and incorporating more sophisticated paraphrasing would elevate the lexical score further.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5
The response exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating reasonable control over basic structures. You successfully construct complex sentences using subordinate clauses, such as 'while snacks has the greatest percentage of added sugar' and 'These figures were significantly higher at dinner than in other meals'. Grammatical accuracy is generally good, with proper use of past and present tenses for reporting data. However, there are some errors in subject-verb agreement ('snacks has') and a minor spelling/preposition slip with 'accross' instead of 'across'. These errors are infrequent and rarely impede communication, reflecting solid control while leaving room for a greater variety of error-free complex structures.
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