Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-07

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 illustrate the proportions of Sodium, Saturated fats and added sugar in far different meals consumed in USA by Americans, excessive intake of these nutrients can have health risks. It is evident from the above diagrams the highest proportion of Sodium and saturated fats consumed is at dinner. While breakfast shows the opposite trend. However, snacks exhibit the greatest percentage of added sugar amongst the four meals.

To begin with, dinner exhibits the highest consumption of sodium and saturated fat content making up 43% and 37% respectively. In contrast to this, it exhibits a moderate level of consumption of added sugar making up 23% of the total proportion. Followed by, lunch it exhibits the second 29% for sodium and 26% for saturated fat. In contrast to this, it accounts for a much smaller proportion of added sugar making up 19% respectively. Moving on to snacks and breakfast the proportion of Sodium consumed is same i.e. 14% and the amount of saturated fats consumed is 21% and 14% respectively. However, snacks exhibit a higher consumption of added sugar

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 three charts. You successfully highlight the key trends, such as dinner having the highest sodium and saturated fat content, and snacks leading in added sugar. However, the analysis is slightly hampered by a lack of precision in the final sentence, where you mention snacks have a higher consumption of added sugar without providing the specific data point (42%). Additionally, the comparison between meals could be more integrated to better highlight the relationships between the nutrients. Overall, the response is clear and provides a good overview of the data provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'In contrast to this', and 'Moving on to' to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the use of 'respectively' is occasionally misused or redundant, such as in the phrase 'making up 19% respectively' when only one figure is mentioned. Paragraphing is used appropriately, but the final paragraph is incomplete and lacks a concluding summary or a final sentence that ties the information together effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportions', 'illustrate', 'exhibit', and 'consumption'. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'far different meals' which is unnatural; 'various meals' would be more appropriate. You also repeat the word 'exhibit' frequently, which limits the sophistication of your writing. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning clearly, it lacks the variety and precision required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the second 29% for sodium', which is awkward phrasing, and the sentence fragment 'Followed by, lunch it exhibits...'. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are instances where commas are missing or used incorrectly, affecting the flow. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and avoiding sentence fragments will help improve your accuracy.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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