Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-04
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 given pie charts illustrate the average proportions of three kinds of nutrients including sodium, saturated fat and added sugars in a typical meal (breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner) in the USA.
Overall, dinner includes a significant share of sodium and saturated fats while snack contains a notable percantage of added sugars. The breakfast has the lowest proportions of all three unhealthy nutrients.
The first pie chart shows the amount of sodium is highest in dinners reaching to 43%. It is followed by lunch which accounts for 29% sodium. The breakfast and snacks contain 14% sodium each.
The second pie chart represents the average proportion of saturated fats in typical meals. It is reported to be highest in dinner (37%), followed by lunch (26%), snack (21%) and breakfast (16%).
The third pie chart dipicts the amount of added sugars in meals. The snack is found to be rich in added sugars with a percentage of fourty-two. Dinner includes 23% sugars followed by lunch (19%) and breakfast (16%).
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| 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. An appropriate overview is provided, highlighting that dinner contains the highest proportions of sodium and saturated fats, while snacks are highest in added sugars. Key data points, such as the 43% of sodium in dinners and 42% of added sugars in snacks, are accurately cited and supported. The writing meets the criteria for this band because all requirements are addressed with clear supporting details, though certain sections lean slightly towards listing data rather than fully extending the comparisons.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The response demonstrates a clear overall progression with a logical arrangement of information. Each chart is introduced in a separate body paragraph, which helps structure the response effectively. Cohesive devices such as 'It is followed by' and 'followed by' are used to link sentences, though they become somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Paragraphing is used adequately, contributing to the overall readability of the text. To reach higher bands, the writer would need to employ a wider and more flexible variety of cohesive devices rather than relying on repetitive transitional structures.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying numerical data and nutritional concepts with terms like 'proportions', 'significant share', and 'notable percentage'. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'rich in added sugars', but makes minor errors in word choice and spelling, notably writing 'percantage' and 'dipicts' instead of 'percentage' and 'depicts', alongside spelling 'fourty-two'. These lexical slips do not impede communication, placing the response firmly at this level. A greater precision in word forms and elimination of basic spelling errors are needed to access higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'The first pie chart shows the amount of sodium is highest in dinners reaching to 43%.' There are some minor grammatical errors, including preposition misuse ('reaching to' instead of 'reaching') and occasional missing articles like 'The breakfast has the lowest proportions'. However, these errors are relatively sparse and rarely impede communication, meeting the expectations for this level. To achieve a higher band, the writer must demonstrate greater control over complex structures and eliminate minor grammatical inaccuracies.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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