Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-19
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 charts illustrate the average proportion of three types of nutrients namely, sodium, saturated fats and added sugars in typical meals used in the USA.
Overall, it is clear from the figure that the percentage of snack increased, while the percentage of lunch and dinner dropped.
In addition, the figur for breakfast in both saturated fats and added sugars remained steady.
It is evident that, the dinner saw higher percentage in sodium than other nutrients which was 43%, in comparison to saturated fats the proportion of dinner decreased to 37%, while for added sugars it again declined and reached 23%. Moreover, breakfast accounted for 14% in sodium, in constrast for saturated fats it went up to 16% and then remained steady until added sugars.
As we can see from the data, snack stood at 14% in sodium, whereas for saturated fats it grew to 21% . Furthermore, we can see a noticeable rose in proportion of snack which was 42% in added sugars. Lunch was 29% in sodium, in comparison to saturated fats it went down and reached 26%, while for added sugars it showed significant declined which was 19%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The student successfully addresses the main features of the charts by reporting data for sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars across the four meal times. Key comparisons are made, such as noting that dinner has the highest sodium content at 43% and snacks account for the largest share of added sugars at 42%. However, the overview provided in the second paragraph contains inaccuracies and confusion regarding trends over time (e.g., stating that the percentage of snack increased while lunch and dinner dropped, which misinterprets static categorical data as time-series trends). Despite this flawed overview, the core data points are sufficiently covered, meeting the requirements for a Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is arranged into four paragraphs, providing a logical framework with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs detailing the data. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'It is evident that', 'Moreover', and 'whereas' are used to connect ideas, though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. Referencing is occasionally slightly unclear or repetitive in structure (e.g., frequently repeating 'in comparison to saturated fats'). Paragraphing is generally appropriate, ensuring an overall coherent arrangement that allows the reader to follow the descriptions easily, placing this response comfortably at Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary for the task, utilizing terms such as 'proportion', 'percentage', 'accounted for', and 'steady'. However, there are noticeable spelling and lexical errors, such as 'figUR' instead of 'figure', 'constrast' instead of 'contrast', and 'significant declined' instead of 'significant decline'. Attempts to use less common vocabulary are somewhat limited, and word choice errors occasionally surface, which keeps the score at Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response includes a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as introductory clauses and comparative constructions. However, grammatical errors are frequent throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues, missing articles, and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'the figur for breakfast in both saturated fats and added sugars remained steady' and 'went up to 16% and then remained steady until added sugars'). While these errors do not completely obscure meaning, they cause some difficulty for the reader and prevent the response from achieving a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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