Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-01

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 chart compares the fractions of sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars in normal meals eaten in the USA.

Overall, the latgest proportion for sodium and saturated fats are accounted by dinner with breakfast containing the least percentage for both of them. Of particular note, the highest proportion for added sugars are accumulated by snacks, while the smallest one is the same as others.

Looking first at sodium, it is present the most in the dinner of the Americans at 43%, followed by lunch at 29%. The percentage in breakfast and snacks are broadly same, at 14%. Similarly, for saturated fats, it is present in largest proportion in dinner at 37%. By comparison, lunch, snacks and breakfast stands at 26%, 21% and 16% respectively.

Turning to added sugars, it is present in relatively greater amount in snacks at 42%, followed by dinner and lunch, at 23% and 19%, in the same order.

Meanwhile, breakfast contains the lowest amount of added sugars, at 16%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by successfully summarizing the main features and making relevant comparisons across the three nutrients and four meal categories. There is a clear overview provided in the second paragraph, highlighting key trends such as dinner accounting for the largest proportions of sodium and saturated fats, while snacks dominate added sugars. Key data points are accurately reported, such as sodium at 43% for dinner and added sugars at 42% for snacks. However, some ideas are slightly under-developed or generalized, which prevents the response from reaching a higher band. For instance, the comment that the smallest proportion of added sugars 'is the same as others' is vague. Extending the comparisons with more precision would elevate the score further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression throughout. Information is organized into a logical structure, moving from an introductory overview into detailed body paragraphs analyzing specific nutrients. Paragraphing is used appropriately to group related ideas. Cohesive devices are generally well managed, with phrases like 'Looking first at', 'Similarly', and 'Turning to' guiding the reader through the data. However, cohesion sometimes feels slightly mechanical or formulaic, and referencing can occasionally lack fluency, such as the awkward transition regarding the smallest proportion of added sugars. To achieve a higher band, the use of cohesive devices could be made more flexible and integrated more naturally into the text.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms like 'fractions', 'proportion', 'accounted by', and 'respectively'. There are several attempts to use less common vocabulary, but these are sometimes accompanied by inaccuracies in word choice or collocation. For example, writing that proportions are 'accounted by' or 'accumulated by' rather than 'accounted for' or 'comprised of' shows some strain in lexical control. Additionally, there are minor errors such as the spelling typo 'latgest'. These vocabulary errors do not impede communication, but they reflect a typical Band 6 profile where flexibility and precision in less common lexical items are still developing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like relative clauses and introductory prepositional phrases ('Looking first at sodium, it is present...'). There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('The percentage in breakfast and snacks are broadly same') and missing articles ('at broadly same'). However, these errors are relatively infrequent and rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the data easily. To reach a higher band, the writer would need to produce a greater frequency of error-free sentences using complex structures with tighter grammatical control.

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

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