Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-05
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 display the mean percentages in usual meals of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar, all of which may be injurious to health if consumed too much.
Overall, the highest percentage of sodium and saturated fats are consumed at dinner while almost half of the percentage of added sugar is eaten at snack time. Moreover, the minimum percentage of all the three types of nutrients is eaten during breakfast.
The percentage of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar consumed at breakfast is 14%, 16%, and 16% respectively. This is the minimum consmption percentage of all nutrients among typical meals. At lunch time, the highest percentage of sodium which is 29% is eaten, while added sugar is consumed the least.
Added sugar is consumed more than the other two nutrients at snack time. The percentage of added sugar consumed at this time is 42%, while the percentage consumption of sodium and saturated fat are 14% and 21% respectively. Almost half of sodium is consumed during dinner time and has the highest percentage consumption among other nutrients. While the percentage of saturated fats consumed at this meal is 37% and the percentage consumption of added sugar is 23%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5
The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the charts and making relevant comparisons. The overview accurately captures the highest and lowest points across the nutrients and meals, such as noting that sodium and saturated fats peak at dinner while added sugars peak during snack time. Key data points are cited correctly, including the 42% for added sugar at snack time and 43% for sodium at dinner. The ideas are well extended and supported with appropriate figures, moving slightly beyond a mere mechanical listing of data to highlight meaningful trends, reflecting solid task coverage characteristic of a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs that group information logically by meal and nutrient. However, the progression between sentences occasionally feels a bit mechanical or repetitive in structure. For instance, transitional phrases and referencing could be smoother, and paragraph transitions rely on standard formulaic openings rather than flexible cohesive devices. While information is logically sequenced, the somewhat rigid flow and occasional clunky referencing place this criterion firmly in the middle band, requiring more sophisticated cohesive control to progress further.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'injurious', 'consmption', and 'percentage consumption'. While communication is generally clear, there are minor slips in spelling, such as 'consmption', and occasional awkward word choices like 'almost half of sodium' instead of 'almost half of the sodium'. The range is sufficient to describe the visual data with some precision, but recurrent slight inaccuracies in word form and collocation prevent the vocabulary score from reaching a higher level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like relative clauses and comparative constructions effectively. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, such as subject-verb agreement issues in 'the highest percentage of sodium and saturated fats are' and prepositions within grammatical patterns, but these errors rarely impede communication and do not obscure the meaning. The writer shows good control over basic structures and attempts complex forms, resulting in a solid performance that meets the criteria for this band.
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