Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-29

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.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 6.5)

The pie charts provide the average proportions of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar—all of which are harmful if consumed excessively—during meals in the USA.

Overall, dinner has the highest amount of share in the consumption of nutrients, while snacks are on second rank. At lunch the consumption of nutrients is typically lower than at snacks but higher than at breakfast.

For sodium, dinner accounts for 43% as compared to lunch with 29%. The snacks and breakfast joint has the lowest figures with 14%. As for saturated fat, dinner has the largest share with 37%, followed by lunch with 26%. The consumption of saturated fat in snacks is just below a quarter. Breakfast has the lowest proportion at 16%.

In terms of added sugar, snacks constitute the largest share with 42%. The dinner making up 23% to retain second rank. Lunch consistently accounts for 19% and is in third place. Breakfast has contributed the lowest share with 16%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the charts and provided relevant comparisons. You covered all three nutrients and the four meal categories. The overview is clear and highlights the main trends effectively. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in data reporting; for instance, you stated that snacks and breakfast combined have the lowest figures for sodium at 14%, but the chart shows snacks at 14% and breakfast at 16% individually, making your grouping slightly confusing. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are cited with absolute precision and avoid grouping categories unless the data explicitly supports it.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs dedicated to specific nutrients. You use cohesive devices such as 'In terms of,' 'As for,' and 'followed by' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the paragraphing could be improved by grouping the data more fluidly. For example, the transition between the sodium and saturated fat paragraphs is functional but could be more sophisticated. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the information is presented in a logical sequence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportions,' 'consumed excessively,' and 'constitute.' There are some minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'dinner has the highest amount of share' (which is redundant) and 'snacks and breakfast joint' (which is grammatically awkward). While the vocabulary is adequate to convey the meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band. Focusing on more natural collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing will help improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. Most of your sentences are clear and easy to follow. However, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'The dinner making up 23% to retain second rank,' which is a sentence fragment, and 'snacks and breakfast joint has,' which contains a subject-verb agreement error. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing your control over complex sentence structures and proofreading for minor errors will be beneficial.

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.