Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-28
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 pie charts compare the average proportions of three types of nutrients present in typical meals of the USA, all of which may be toxic if their consumption is too high.
Overall, it can be seen that the sodium is present in the largest amount in dinner and the smallest amount in snack whereas breakfast contains the moderate amount of each nutrient.
Firstly, dinner and snack comprise the largest amount of calories. Dinner contain 43% of sodium, which is the highest proportion present among all other nutrients. Meanwhile, the saturated fat and added sugar concentrations are 37% and 23%, respectively. Snack contains added sugar the most of 42%, with the percentages of saturated fat and sodium are 21% and 14%, accordingly.
Lunch and breakfast's proportions of nutrients are relatively moderate. Breakfast contain saturated fat and added sugar comparatively low of 16% than other meals. While lunch has the highest quantity of sodium of 29% with saturated fat and added sugar in decreasing proportions
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the charts, but the analysis is incomplete. The essay ends abruptly mid-sentence, failing to describe the data for lunch and breakfast fully. While you identify key trends, such as sodium being highest in dinner and added sugar in snacks, the lack of a complete summary for all categories prevents a higher score. To improve, ensure you provide a balanced overview of all data points and avoid leaving sentences unfinished, as this significantly impacts the clarity and completeness of your report.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay uses basic cohesive devices like 'Firstly' and 'Meanwhile' to link ideas, which provides a degree of logical flow. However, the abrupt ending disrupts the overall coherence. Paragraphing is present, but the final paragraph is incomplete, which makes the structure feel unfinished. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph is fully developed and that the transition between ideas is smooth and consistent throughout the entire response.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportions', 'concentrations', and 'consumption'. However, there are some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'toxic' (which is too strong for nutritional content) and 'comparatively low of 16%'. The repetition of 'amount' and 'percentage' also limits the sophistication of your writing. Expanding your range of synonyms and focusing on more precise collocations will help improve your lexical score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('Dinner contain', 'Breakfast contain') and awkward phrasing ('with the percentages of saturated fat and sodium are 21% and 14%'). These errors are noticeable but do not completely impede communication. To improve, pay closer attention to verb endings and ensure that your sentence structures are grammatically sound.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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