Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-05
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 given visual prompt consists of three pie charts that illustrates the percentage breakdown of three kinds of nutrients in typical meals consumed in USA. All the three pie charts have four segments.
On one hand, a close look at the pie chart revealed that all the three kinds of nutrients show a negligible change taken in two meals: breakfast and lunch. While percentage in breakfast remain almost similar, the lunch shows a decline of 7% from saturated fat to added sugar.
On the other hand, an even closer look at the pie charts presents that the percentage of nutrients depicts a significant change in other two meals: snack and dinner. The snack have 14% of the sodium, whereas it increased substantially in added sugar with a percentage of 42.
Overall, a deep analysis of the pictorial information brings an underlying fact into notice that percentage of sodium and saturated fat in the typical meals showed trivial changes, while added sugar revealed a significant change of the percentage across the meals.
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 and lacks precision. While you identify some trends, you fail to report the data for all categories (e.g., dinner is mentioned but the specific percentages are not provided). The comparison between nutrients is somewhat vague, and the summary does not fully capture the overall picture of the data provided. To reach a higher band, ensure that you select and report the most significant data points for all categories and meals, rather than focusing only on selected segments. The overview is present but could be more comprehensive regarding the general trends across all three nutrients.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'On one hand', 'On the other hand'). The progression of ideas is logical, but the transitions between sentences could be smoother. Referencing is generally clear, but the connection between the data points and the summary could be strengthened to improve the flow of information. The paragraphing is appropriate for an academic report, but the internal cohesion needs more variety to achieve a higher score.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. You use basic descriptors like 'significant change' and 'trivial changes' repeatedly. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'illustrates' (should be 'illustrate' to agree with 'charts') and 'depicts a significant change in other two meals' (should be 'the other two'). To improve, try to incorporate more varied and precise vocabulary related to data description, such as 'fluctuation', 'proportion', or 'marginal'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
There are several grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally hinder the clarity of the message. For example, 'The given visual prompt consists of three pie charts that illustrates' (subject-verb agreement error), 'percentage in breakfast remain' (should be 'remains'), and 'The snack have' (should be 'has'). You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the accuracy of these structures is inconsistent. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct article usage will significantly improve your score. The punctuation is generally acceptable, but the grammatical slips are frequent enough to impact the overall quality.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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