Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-03

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.

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 compares the proportions of the average percentages of sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars in the meals consumed in the USA.

Overall, it can be seen that, sodium and saturated fat are consumed in a massive amount during dinner, while added sugars was consumed more during snack.

Firstly, sodium was used 14% during snack and breakfast, and 29% during lunch. While, it was used largely around 43% during dinner which is the greatest amount compare to all other times of meals per day.

In addition, saturated fats were also used in a brief amount during dinner like sodium is around 37%. It was used 26% during lunch, 21% during snack, and 16% during breakfast which is the lowest among all.

Moreover, added sugar was used in a higher amount during snack which is 42%, while it was used 16%, 19%, and 23% during breakfast, lunch, and dinner respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully identifies the main features of the charts and makes relevant comparisons between the three nutrients. You have highlighted the key trends, such as the high sodium and saturated fat intake at dinner and the peak of added sugars during snacks. However, the report could be improved by providing a more analytical overview rather than just listing data points. To reach a higher band, ensure that you group information more effectively to highlight the relationships between the categories, rather than describing each nutrient in a separate paragraph. The summary is accurate and covers all parts of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'In addition', and 'Moreover' to transition between ideas. While the structure is clear, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical. To improve, try to vary your cohesive devices and use referencing more effectively to avoid repeating the same sentence structures. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different nutrients, which helps the reader follow your analysis easily.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. You use terms like 'proportions', 'consumed', and 'greatest amount' effectively. However, there is some repetition of basic verbs like 'used' and 'consumed'. To improve, try to use more precise reporting verbs or synonyms related to dietary intake. For instance, instead of saying 'sodium was used', you could use 'sodium intake accounted for' or 'sodium levels peaked'. The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.

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 'The pie charts compares' (subject-verb agreement) and 'added sugars was consumed' (plural/singular mismatch). Additionally, phrases like 'in a brief amount' are unnatural in this context. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that your use of articles and prepositions is consistent. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score.

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.