Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-02

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 compare the average proportion of sodium, saturated fats and added sugar by meal in USA. These nutrients are considered to be harmful if consumed in excess.

Overall, sodium and saturated fats consumed at dinner are higher than other meals, while added sugar is eaten most in snacks. Consumption of all the nutrients during breastfast consistently remained the lowest.

The content of sodium in dinner is the highest at 42%, followed by lunch at 23%, both breakfast and snack stood at 14%; these are least figure given. Saturated fats followed a similar pattern with dinner at 37%, lunch at 26%. Although, the percentage for snacks and breakfast now differs, at 21% and 14% respectively.

In comparison, added sugar is consumed mostly in snacks at 42% and dinner had the second largest share at 23%. Intake of added and saturated fats during breakfast had the same proportion at 16%. The proportion for lunch was 19%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main contrast accurately: dinner accounts for the largest shares of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks lead for added sugar. The overview also notes breakfast as generally low, and you include several relevant figures. However, some key data are misreported: sodium at dinner is 43%, not 42%, and lunch is 29%, not 23%; saturated fat at breakfast is 16%, not 14%. The claim that breakfast is consistently the lowest is also not quite accurate, since snacks have the same sodium share as breakfast and breakfast and snacks are both below lunch and dinner for saturated fat. The response covers the charts, but these inaccuracies and the limited comparison of the full pattern keep the reporting from being consistently precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for sodium and saturated fat, then added sugar. This makes the main categories easy to follow, and linking phrases such as “Overall” and “In comparison” help signal the organisation. Some connections are less smooth, however. “Although” begins a sentence fragment-like transition before the figures for snacks and breakfast, and “these are least figure given” is unclear in its reference. The final paragraph also ends abruptly after the lunch figure, without completing the comparison across meals. More consistent sentence linking and clearer references between figures would make the progression more fluent and controlled.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a suitable range of chart-reporting vocabulary, including “proportion,” “consumed,” “share,” “intake,” and “followed a similar pattern.” These choices help communicate comparisons without excessive repetition. Some collocations and word forms are less natural, such as “the content of sodium in dinner” and “these are least figure given”; “share” or “percentage” would be clearer in the latter context. There are also spelling errors in “breastfast” and “least figure,” which reduce accuracy. The vocabulary is adequate and generally understandable, but greater precision in describing percentages and more reliable spelling would strengthen the report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use both simple and more complex forms, including the overview’s contrast with “while” and the sentence beginning “Although.” Most of the meaning remains clear, but some grammatical errors are noticeable. For example, “in USA” needs an article, and “both breakfast and snack stood at 14%; these are least figure given” has problems with number agreement and sentence construction. “Although, the percentage…” is not correctly punctuated or connected to the preceding clause, while “dinner had the second largest share” shifts awkwardly from the present-tense reporting used elsewhere. Work on articles, agreement, and joining subordinate clauses accurately; these are the main limits on otherwise understandable sentence variety.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.