Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-08

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 chart illustrates the proportion of three type of nutrients in typical meals consumed in the USA.

Overall, sodium and saturated fat mostly consumed at dinner , while for added sugar the highest proportion was at snack time by the US people . However,the lowest percentage of the three nutrients consumed at breakfast.

In terms of sodium, it mostly consumed at dinner accounted for 43%, followed by lunch at 29%. The consumption rate for sodium was comparatively less at breakfast and snack both at 14%.

Similarly ,people mostly consumed saturated fat at dinner. At lunch and snack it was at 26% and 21% respectively. Whereas, only 16% represented for breakfast.

On the other hand, Highest percentage of added sugar consumed at snack .

At dinner and lunch it accounted for 23% and 19% respectively. Like other two nutrients , the lowest proportion of added sugar consumed at breakfast by the US people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You identify the main contrast accurately: dinner has the largest shares of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks account for the most added sugar. The figures you report for sodium and saturated fat are correct, and you include the key meal categories for comparison. Your overview also notes breakfast as the lowest category, which is accurate for all three nutrients. To make the report more fully developed, give the exact snack figure for added sugar (42%) and the breakfast figure (16%), rather than leaving these comparisons general. Also clarify that breakfast and snacks tie for the lowest sodium share, instead of implying breakfast alone is lowest. These additions would make the key features more precise and consistently supported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall shape: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar. This makes the information easy to locate, and transitions such as “Similarly” and “On the other hand” help signal comparisons. The progression is generally logical, but cohesion is not always smooth: the added-sugar paragraph is very brief, and “Like other two nutrients” does not quite fit because snacks, rather than dinner, are the highest category for sugar. Some linking punctuation and spacing also interrupt the flow. To strengthen the organisation, group the shared dinner pattern for sodium and saturated fat, then contrast it with the snack-led sugar pattern, using clearer references between the figures.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “proportion,” “accounted for,” “consumption rate,” and “highest percentage.” These terms help communicate the chart’s comparisons, and the meaning is generally clear. However, several phrases are repetitive or imprecise, particularly repeated uses of “consumed” and “percentage,” and expressions such as “it mostly consumed at dinner” are not natural collocations. “Three type of nutrients” also shows an inaccurate word form. Aim for more precise reporting language and vary how you describe shares, for example by using “made up,” “represented,” or “accounted for” appropriately. More natural collocations would make the description sound more controlled and fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple statements and longer comparisons, and the reader can follow the main information. However, sentence control is uneven, with recurring problems in verb forms, articles, agreement, and punctuation. For example, “sodium and saturated fat mostly consumed” needs a passive verb (“are mostly consumed”), while “three type” requires a plural noun. In “only 16% represented for breakfast,” the verb pattern is incorrect; a clearer construction is “only 16% was recorded at breakfast.” The opening overview also contains awkward comma spacing and a missing space after “However,”. Practise building complete subject–verb sentences and checking articles and plural forms; this will make your comparisons more accurate without sacrificing the range you are attempting.

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

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