Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-05

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.

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

Average percentages of sodium, saturated fats and added sugars in typical meals consumed in the USA

Student answer (Band 6.0)

The three pie charts show the average percentage of different nutrients such as sodium, saturated fat and added sugar in typical meals consumed in the USA, divided into breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner.

Overall, dinner contains the highest proportion of these nutrients, while breakfast consistently have the lowest. The distribution varied depending on the type of nutrient. Dinner was the main source of sodium and saturated fat, whereas most snacks were sugary. Breakfast contributed the least to all three unhealthy nutrients.

For sodium, dinner accounted for the largest share at 43%. Lunch was the second highest at 29, while breakfast and snack both were equal at 14%.

In terms of saturated fat, dinner was again at the highest at 37%. Lunch followed at 26%, snacks made up to 21% and breakfast was the lowest at only 16%.

Added sugar showed a different pattern. Snack represented the greatest proportion by far at 42%. Dinner was the second highest at 23%, while lunch and breakfast were lower at 19% and 16% respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have successfully identified the main features of the three charts and provided relevant comparisons between the nutrient types and meal times. The overview clearly highlights the key trends, such as dinner being the primary source of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks dominate in added sugar. The data is accurately reported, and the comparison between categories is logical. To reach a higher band, ensure that you consistently include units (e.g., percentages) for all figures mentioned, as seen in the sodium paragraph where '29' was missing the percentage sign.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is well-organised with a clear logical progression. Each paragraph focuses on a specific nutrient, which makes the information easy to follow. You have used cohesive devices such as 'In terms of', 'whereas', and 'followed at' to link ideas effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. The flow is smooth, and the relationship between the different meal types is clearly established throughout the text. No significant issues with cohesion were noted.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the data, including terms like 'proportion', 'contributed', 'accounted for', and 'represented'. The word choices are generally accurate and appropriate for an academic report. While the vocabulary is functional and clear, it remains somewhat standard. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms to describe trends, such as 'constituted the bulk of' or 'a marginal difference'. Overall, the lexical range is adequate for the task requirements.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates good control over grammatical structures. You have used a mix of simple and complex sentences effectively. There is a minor subject-verb agreement error in the overview ('breakfast consistently have' should be 'has'). Additionally, there is a slight awkwardness in 'snacks made up to 21%', which would be better phrased as 'snacks accounted for 21%'. However, these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, showing a good level of accuracy.

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.