Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-20

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.

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 given pie chart illustrates the average percentages of three types of nutrients in typical meals consumed in the USA. These nutrients include sodium, saturated fats and added sugars ,all of these may be unhealthy if consumed in higher quantities. Overall, it shows that consumption of sodium is greater in dinner approx. 43% and lunch approx. 29% as compared to sugar and saturated fats. Sugar consumption is higher in snacks about 42% than the other nutrients. People eat more sugar in snacks than saturated fats (21%) and sodium (14%). Sodium and saturated fats percentage is higher in dinner in comparison to sugar. While the quantity of sodium eaten in breakfast and snacks is same that is 14 %. The amount of saturated fats consumed in breakfast is slightly higher than sodium but same as sugars which is 16%. In lunch, Sodium consumption is increased by 3% than saturated fats that is 26%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the main features of the charts. You have successfully selected key data points to compare, such as the high consumption of sodium at dinner and sugar in snacks. However, the report lacks a clear, cohesive structure. While you mention the main trends, the analysis is somewhat fragmented, and the presentation of data is occasionally confusing, such as the sentence comparing sodium and saturated fats in lunch. To reach a higher band, ensure that your overview is more distinct and that comparisons are grouped logically by nutrient or meal type rather than listing individual figures in a way that feels like a raw data dump.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is coherent overall, but the paragraphing is problematic. You have essentially written the entire response as one block of text, which makes it difficult for the reader to follow the progression of ideas. While you use some cohesive devices like 'While' and 'in comparison to', the flow is often mechanical. The lack of clear paragraph breaks between the introduction, overview, and body paragraphs significantly impacts the readability. To improve, use clear paragraphing to separate your introduction/overview from your detailed analysis, and ensure that each paragraph focuses on a specific theme or nutrient category to improve logical flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'nutrients', 'consumed', and 'quantities'. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'sodium and saturated fats percentage is higher', where 'percentages' would be more accurate. You also rely on basic phrasing to describe the data. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more varied vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'account for', 'constitute', 'predominate', or 'a significant proportion', rather than relying heavily on 'higher' or 'increased'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'all of these may be unhealthy' (a comma splice) and 'the quantity of sodium eaten in breakfast and snacks is same that is 14%'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing and comma usage. There are frequent minor errors in subject-verb agreement and article usage. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic sentence construction errors and ensure that your complex sentences are punctuated correctly to avoid run-on sentences or fragments.

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