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 three pie charts illustrate the average proportions of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar in typical American meals across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

Overall, dinner is the primary source of sodium and saturated fate, whereas snacks dominate added sugar intake. Breakfast consistency record the lowest percentages for most nutrients.

Regarding sodium, dinner accounts for a peak of 43%. Lunch follows at 29%, while breakfast and snacks tie at 14% each. Similarly, saturated fat intake is highest at dinner (37%), followed by lunch at 26% and snacks 21%, with breakfast registering the lowest share at 16%.

In contrast, the distribution for added sugar shows a different trend. Snacks represent the highest proportion at 42%, which is nearly double the amount consumed during dinner at 23%. On the other hand, Lunch accounts for 19% of added sugar intake, while breakfast records the lowest Proportion of all of the above meals consumed in the USA at 16%

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response successfully covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the charts and making relevant comparisons. You present a clear overview at the beginning, noting that dinner dominates sodium and saturated fat while snacks are highest in added sugar. Key data points are accurately cited, such as the 43% peak for dinner sodium and the 42% peak for snacks added sugar. However, there is a slight tendency to over-generalise or miss minor nuances in the minor categories, which keeps the response at this level. To reach higher bands, ensure every minor category is integrated more smoothly into the broader comparative narrative without losing precision in the data reporting.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

Your response demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information is grouped logically by nutrient type, with a distinct introduction, an overview paragraph, and well-structured body paragraphs examining sodium and saturated fat together before contrasting them with added sugar. You make good use of cohesive devices to guide the reader, such as 'Regarding sodium', 'Similarly', and 'In contrast'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different ideas. To achieve a higher band, you could ensure that referencing and cohesive links are managed with even greater flexibility, avoiding slightly formulaic transition phrases and ensuring every sentence flows seamlessly into the next.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms like 'proportion', 'distribution', 'accounts for', and 'peak'. However, there are some minor lexical errors and spelling mistakes, such as 'saturated fate' instead of 'saturated fat' and the inconsistent capitalization of 'Lunch'. Additionally, you attempt less common vocabulary, but word choice occasionally lacks precision. To improve this score, focus on eliminating spelling lapses and refining your collocations, ensuring that word forms are always used accurately in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like 'whereas snacks dominate added sugar intake' and 'while breakfast and snacks tie at 14% each'. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, such as the missing preposition or punctuation error in 'and snacks 21%' and the awkward phrasing in 'Breakfast consistency record the lowest percentages', where subject-verb agreement and word form are incorrect. Fortunately, these errors rarely impede communication. To move up to a higher band, you need to increase your proportion of error-free complex sentences and maintain tighter control over subject-verb agreement and punctuation.

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

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