Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-11-03

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 proportions of sodium, saturated fats and added sugars typical meals consumed in the USA.

Overall it is clear that dinner accounted for the highest consumption of sodium and saturated fats, whereas snacks were the main source of added sugar.Meanwhile, all three types of nutrients were consumed in smaller quantities at breakfast.

Looking at sodium and saturated fats, dinner constitute the largest proportion of both nutrients, making up 43% and 37% of total consumption, respectively. Consumption of sodium had a similar percentage in snacks and at breakfast, those accounted for 14%.The intake of saturated fat at lunch was 26% and in snacks was 21%. 29% sodium was consumed at lunch. At breakfast, consumption of saturated fats was considerably fewer, only 16%.

In terms of added sugar, nearly half of consumption (42%) own snacks. Dinner was owned by 23%, which is the second largest consumption. Lunch represents 19%, while breakfast accounted for smallest proportion at 16%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response selects the main features accurately and gives a clear overview: dinner has the highest shares of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks lead for added sugar. The reported figures are consistent with the chart, including dinner’s 43% sodium and 37% saturated fat, and snacks’ 42% added sugar. It also compares meal categories across all three nutrients, so the task is addressed fully and the key information is supported with relevant data. The statement that breakfast has the smallest shares is broadly useful, though it could be made more precise: breakfast ties with snacks for the lowest sodium share, rather than being uniquely lowest. A more systematic comparison of the three nutrients would make the summary more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs grouping sodium and saturated fat before added sugar. This gives the reader a logical route through the information, and phrases such as “Overall” and “In terms of added sugar” help signal shifts. The progression is not fully smooth, however. In the third paragraph, figures are presented in a somewhat uneven order, and the short statements about lunch and breakfast interrupt the comparison. Some linking and reference are also awkward, as in “those accounted for 14%,” where the referent is not immediately clear. Grouping the figures more consistently by meal or nutrient and using clearer links would improve cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

There is adequate vocabulary for describing chart data, including “proportions,” “accounted for,” “consumption,” and “intake.” These choices allow the main comparisons to be communicated, and the response attempts some variation rather than relying entirely on “percentage.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, notably “dinner constitute,” “nearly half of consumption … own snacks,” and “Dinner was owned by 23%.” Repetition of “consumption” and “consumed” also limits flexibility. Choose precise reporting verbs such as “represented,” “made up,” or “was attributed to,” and check that each phrase describes the meal’s share rather than implying ownership. This would make the vocabulary more natural and precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response attempts a mix of simple and more complex structures, including the overview contrast introduced by “whereas” and the opening participial phrase “Looking at sodium and saturated fats.” Meaning is generally recoverable, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “dinner constitute” has a subject–verb agreement error, and “those accounted for 14%” is an incomplete or poorly connected construction. The sentence beginning “In terms of added sugar” also lacks a clear grammatical structure around the 42% figure. Punctuation and spacing are inconsistent, including missing spaces after full stops. Review agreement, sentence boundaries, and the structure of clauses containing figures; more consistently accurate sentences would strengthen control.

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