Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-20
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 illustrate the average percentage of three types of nutrients - sodium, saturated fats and added sugars in typical meals consumed in the USA.
Overall, the largest percentage of sodium and saturated fat are consumed in dinner while the added sugar was consumed largest through snacks. However, the lowest proportion of all three nutrients was found in breakfast. While the average consumption of all three nutrients were found in lunch.
The consumption of sodium was the highest, 43% in dinner, 29% in lunch, followed by 14% each in snacks and breakfast. The saturated fat were taken highest 37% in dinner, 26% in lunch, followed by 21% and 16% in snacks and breakfast respectively.
If we look at the chart of added sugar consumption, the highest of 42% is taken through snacks unlike rest of the two nutrients which are found in dinner, 23% was taken from dinner, 19% in lunch and lowest of 16% in breakfast.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0
The response identifies the main contrasts accurately: dinner has the highest shares of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks lead for added sugar. It also reports the key figures correctly, including 43% sodium at dinner, 37% saturated fat at dinner, and 42% added sugar in snacks. This gives the reader a clear overview and relevant supporting detail. However, the claim that breakfast has the lowest proportion of all three nutrients is not fully accurate: breakfast and snacks are tied for the lowest sodium share, at 14%. The statement that all three nutrients are found in lunch is also vague and adds little comparison. More precise overview wording and a clearer comparison of the tied sodium figures would strengthen the report.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The response is arranged in a sensible sequence: an introduction, an overview, then details on sodium and saturated fat followed by added sugar. This makes the main comparisons easy to follow, and phrases such as “However” and “If we look at” help signal shifts. At times, though, the linking feels mechanical or the reference is unclear. For example, “While the average consumption of all three nutrients were found in lunch” does not clearly explain what is being compared, and “unlike rest of the two nutrients” is an awkward transition. The overview also combines several claims in one passage without clearly distinguishing the shared dinner pattern from the added-sugar exception. More precise links and clearer sentence-to-sentence progression would improve cohesion.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
The vocabulary is adequate for describing the charts, with useful terms such as “proportion,” “consumption,” “highest,” and “respectively.” The writer also varies the wording somewhat by using “taken” and “consumed,” although these choices are not always natural for nutrient percentages. Repeated use of “highest” and “consumption” limits flexibility, while phrases such as “taken through snacks” and “the highest percentage … are consumed in dinner” show imprecise collocation. The meaning remains understandable, but more accurate chart language would make the report sound more natural and precise. Prefer expressions such as “accounted for,” “made up,” or “the share of” when describing percentages, and use “at dinner” rather than “in dinner.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response attempts a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including the contrast introduced by “while” and the conditional opening “If we look at…”. However, some errors in agreement and sentence construction remain. In “the largest percentage … are consumed,” the singular subject requires “is”; similarly, “The saturated fat were taken” has a subject–verb agreement problem. “The average consumption of all three nutrients were found in lunch” is also structurally unclear, and the clause beginning “unlike rest of the two nutrients” is incomplete or awkwardly attached. These issues do not prevent the reader from understanding the figures, but they reduce grammatical control. Check subject–verb agreement and make sure each comparison is expressed in a complete, clearly structured sentence.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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