Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-15

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 chart illustrates the proportion of typical meals of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar nutrients, which may be unhealthy if consumes too much.

Overall, dinner accounts for the largest proportion of sodium and saturated fat consumption, whereas snack made up the highest proportion of added sugar intake. Breakfast consistently represent the smallest share of all three nutrients.

Dinner accounts for the highest proportion of both sodium and saturated fat at, 43% and 37% respectively. launch was the second largest contributor 29% sodium and 26% saturated fat. In contrast, breakfast share the smallest proportion 14% sodium and 16% for saturated fat. Snacks accounted for 14% consumption while their contribution to saturated fat was sightly higher, at 21%.

A different pattern can be seen in the consumption of added sugar. Snacks made up the largest proportion, at 42%, which was almost twice the figure for dinner, at 23%. Lunch accounted for 19% of added sugar intake, while breakfast had the lowest percentage, at 16%. Notably, breakfast had the same proportion of added sugar and saturated fat, whereas snacks showed a much higher contribution to added sugar than to either sodium or saturated fat.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The candidate successfully covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the charts and making relevant comparisons. An appropriate overview is provided in the second paragraph, correctly highlighting that dinner accounts for the highest proportions of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks dominate added sugar intake, and breakfast consistently represents the smallest share. The body paragraphs accurately report the specific percentages for each meal type and nutrient, such as dinner at 43% for sodium and 37% for saturated fat. The data is accurately represented overall with no major misinterpretations, effectively fulfilling the requirements for Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. It begins with an introductory statement and an overview, followed by well-defined body paragraphs comparing the nutrients. Cohesive devices are used effectively to guide the reader through the data, such as 'In contrast,' 'A different pattern can be seen,' and 'while.' Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct function in grouping the information by nutrient and meal type. However, minor mechanical errors in cohesion prevent it from reaching a higher band.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate and appropriate for an academic task 1 response, featuring terms such as 'proportion,' 'consumption,' 'contributor,' and 'respectively.' There are, however, some noticeable word choice and morphological errors, such as 'consumes' instead of 'consumed,' 'snack' instead of 'snacks,' 'launch' instead of 'lunch,' and 'share' instead of 'shared.' Despite these slips and spelling/typographical errors, the range is sufficient to convey the information clearly, fitting the Band 6 descriptor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, utilizing clauses effectively to compare data across different categories (e.g., 'Snacks made up the largest proportion, at 42%, which was almost twice the figure for dinner...'). However, there are several grammatical and mechanical errors throughout the text, such as missing prepositions or incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'breakfast share the smallest proportion' and 'at, 43%' with a misplaced comma). These errors do not impede communication, but they occur with enough frequency to cap the score at Band 6.

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

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