Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-07

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 provided illustrates about the percentage of three different nutrients found in the typical meals consumed in the USA. If the consumption of these substances goes beyond the safe limit, it may pose a risk to one's health.

In the United States, meals are classified into four categories: breakfast, lunch, snack. Firstly, breakfast foods often include a smaller amount of these nutrients, with only 14%, 16%, and 16% of sodium, saturated fats, and added sugar, respectively. Next, dishes consumed during lunchtime have significant quantities of sodium and saturated fat, 29% and 26%, but a relatively lower content of added sugar, that is 19%.

On the other hand, about 42% of a snack is composed of added sugar, with 21% of saturated fat, and 14% of sodium. Lastly, the level of sodium and saturated fat is highest in meals consumed at dinnertime, occupying 43% and 37% of the food item, and around 23% of added sugar.

To conclude, breakfast is considered the healthiest meal, because it contains minimal quantities of each nutrient, whereas a typical dinner have a significant portion of all three, making it an unhealthy meal.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main meal categories and report most figures accurately, including dinner’s highest sodium and saturated-fat shares and snacks’ leading added-sugar share. This gives the response a relevant overview, and the comparison between breakfast and dinner is clear. However, the overview is partly weakened by calling dinner a meal with a “significant portion of all three”: its added-sugar figure is only 23%, below the snack figure of 42%. The statement that breakfast is “the healthiest meal” also goes beyond what the charts establish, which show nutrient proportions rather than overall health. Lunch is described, but its position relative to dinner and snacks could be made clearer. A more precise overview of the contrasting peaks would strengthen coverage and development.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is arranged in a clear sequence: an introduction, descriptions of breakfast and lunch, then snacks and dinner, followed by a conclusion. Linking expressions such as “Firstly,” “Next,” “On the other hand,” and “Lastly” help readers follow the comparisons. This is a coherent overall structure, though the progression is somewhat mechanical because the meal-by-meal listing does not consistently group the most important comparisons across nutrients. The conclusion also repeats the breakfast-versus-dinner contrast rather than synthesising the chart’s key pattern, especially the snack peak for added sugar. Consider using an overview paragraph to state the main contrasts, then grouping details around those contrasts. This would make cohesion more flexible and the information hierarchy clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “percentage,” “quantities,” “content,” and “consumption,” and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “pose a risk to one’s health.” Some choices are imprecise or unnatural for describing chart data: “a smaller amount” and “significant quantities” suggest physical amounts, while the figures represent percentages of nutrient intake across meals. “Occupying 43% and 37% of the food item” is also an awkward way to express the shares. Repeated references to “nutrients” and “meals” limit flexibility somewhat. Use precise terms such as “accounted for,” “share,” and “proportion,” and avoid conclusions about health that the chart itself does not demonstrate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including the conditional opening (“If the consumption… goes beyond…”) and a contrast clause beginning “whereas.” Most sentences communicate the intended comparisons, but some grammatical errors remain. The opening has subject–verb disagreement: “The pie charts… illustrates” should be “illustrate.” In “breakfast, lunch, snack,” the list needs a final category and consistent plural forms. The conclusion also has agreement errors: “a typical dinner have” should be “a typical dinner has,” and “breakfast is considered… because it contains” is more naturally expressed with plural agreement if referring to breakfast foods. Review agreement and list construction, while continuing to vary sentence structures; greater accuracy across these forms would make the response more controlled.

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