Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)
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 have 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 for 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 for breakfast among the other meals. Additionally, breakfast accounted for 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 | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5
The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by presenting an overview and reporting the key features and comparisons from the charts. The student accurately highlights that dinner is highest in sodium (43%) and saturated fat (37%), while snacks lead in added sugar (42%). Breakfast is correctly identified as having the lowest percentages overall. However, there is a slight tendency to over-generalize certain figures rather than fully integrating all data points into a deeper comparison, which prevents the response from reaching the highest bands. Key trends are well-selected and supported by precise figures from the visual data, providing a clear and comprehensive summary.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression throughout. The response is divided into logical paragraphs, moving from an introductory overview to specific body paragraphs detailing individual meal contributions. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader, such as 'Overall', 'To begin', 'Furthermore', and 'In sharp contrast to this'. However, some of the cohesive transitions feel slightly mechanical or formulaic, and referencing between sentences could be smoother to fully achieve the flexibility required at higher bands. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed body sections.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying the statistical information with terms like 'illustrate', 'accounted for', 'consumption', and 'percentage'. The writer attempts some less common phrasing, such as 'in sharp contrast to this' and 'significantly higher', though occasional minor limitations in word choice or style persist. For instance, the spelling error 'accross' appears in the final sentence. While the lexical range allows for sufficient precision, it lacks the broader flexibility and more natural control of sophisticated vocabulary characteristic of top bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0
The writing demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms with frequent error-free sentences. The student displays good control over verb tenses and grammatical structures, successfully utilizing past and present tense elements where appropriate to report data. Complex structures are handled reasonably well, as seen in sentences like 'Overall, dinner has the highest percentages of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks have the greatest percentage of added sugar.' Minor punctuation and spelling slips occur, such as the double 'c' in 'accross', but these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication, showing strong command of basic and complex sentence patterns.
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.