Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 delineate the **distribution** of three **types** of nutrients in a typical meal, which might be unhealthy if eaten too much.

Overall, it can be seen that the consumption of Sodium and Saturated fat are **noticeably** higher at dinner time, while the Added **sugar** is the dominant at snack time.

To commence with, Sodium and Saturated fat are **considerably** higher at dinner time, accounting for 43% and 37% respectively. Furthermore, consumption of sodium in lunch time at 29% compared with breakfast and snacks at 14%.

According to **the** second graph, distribution of Saturated fat consumption, breakfast **recording** 16% in **comparison** with snacks and lunch at 21% and 26% respectively. Thereafter, consumption of Added **sugar** is higher in **snack** time at 42%, while the lowest in breakfast at 16%. Moreover, dinner occupied 23% compared with lunch at 19%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student successfully identifies the main features and overall trends of the charts, noting that sodium and saturated fats peak at dinner while added sugar peaks during snack time. Key data points are correctly cited, such as sodium at 43% for dinner and added sugar at 42% for snacks. However, the response falls short of the 150-word minimum requirement, containing only 139 words. This negative constraint violation prevents the response from achieving a higher band score, as the task has not been fully completed in terms of length. Despite this, the overview and comparisons are generally accurate and relevant.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The text is generally coherent and follows a logical structure with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs detailing the specific nutrient categories. Cohesive devices are used to link ideas, such as "Overall," "To commence with," and "Thereafter." However, paragraphing is somewhat disjointed due to the short, fragmented sentences, and the reference to "the second graph" is mechanically handled. Progression is discernible, but the overall mechanical feel of transitions keeps this criterion at a Band 6 level.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, using terms like "delineate," "distribution," and "considerably." There are some minor lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as "consumption of sodium in lunch time" instead of "at lunch time," and "dinner occupied 23%." Nonetheless, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning without impeding communication, fitting the Band 6 descriptor well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence forms. There are several grammatical errors and awkward structures throughout the text, such as missing verbs in phrases like "while the Added sugar is the dominant at snack time" and "breakfast recording 16% in comparison with snacks and lunch." Punctuation and prepositions also show inconsistency. While these errors do not severely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the score from rising above Band 5.5.

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

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