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, sodium and saturated fat have the highest consumption in dinner, while added sugar contributes the highest share in snacks. The lowest margin of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar is in the 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 makes up 23% to retain second rank. Lunch consistently accounts for 19% and is in third place. Breakfast contributes the lowest share with 16%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively addresses the prompt by identifying the main features and making relevant comparisons. You clearly highlight the trends for sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar across the four meal categories. The overview is concise and captures the key differences between the nutrients, such as the contrast between dinner consumption and snack consumption. All parts of the task are covered well, and the data is used accurately to support the descriptions. To reach a higher band, ensure that you consistently highlight the most significant trends rather than listing every single percentage point, which can sometimes make the report feel like a data dump.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group the nutrients effectively. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'In terms of', 'As for', and 'followed by' to link your points. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the phrasing 'The snacks and breakfast joint' is non-standard and awkward. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing is more natural would enhance the flow of the text further.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportions', 'consumed excessively', and 'constitute'. The language is generally precise and appropriate for an academic report. There are some minor issues with collocation, such as 'lowest margin' (which is not the best fit for percentages) and 'joint' in the context of meal categories. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms for 'highest' or 'lowest' and ensure that collocations are natural and precise in an academic context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, and the majority of sentences are error-free. You show good control over basic grammar and punctuation. There are a few minor slips, such as 'The dinner makes up 23% to retain second rank' (which is slightly awkward) and the phrasing 'The snacks and breakfast joint has the lowest figures'. These errors do not impede communication, but they prevent the response from reaching the highest band. Focusing on more varied complex sentence structures and refining the accuracy of your phrasing will help improve this score.

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

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