Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-22

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 pie charts illustrate the intake percentage of nutrients such as sodium, saturated fat and added sugar in typical meals in the United States of America, which might be harmful to health if consumed in excessive amount.

Overall, the quantitative proportion of the nutrients depend on the types of meals such as breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.

To start with, sodium, dinner accounts for highest percentage for its intake among all other meals, at 43 %. Meanwhile, snacks and breakfast each account for the same proportion, at 14 %. In the lunch meal, percentage figure stands just above one-quarter of the total intake. In the second place, saturated fat has somehow same percentages across the meals but with fluctuating patterns. Dinner accounts for the highest percentage of saturated fat intake, at 37 %, while lunch ranks second, slightly above one-quarter of the total intake. However, snacks also play an important role, accounting for mildly above one-fifth part of the total, breakfast contributes the lowest proportions, at only 16 %.

The distribution of added sugar has noticeably different pattern. It has highest supply from snacks, at 42 %, which is almost twice dinner. Lunch accounts for just slightly below one-fourth of the total intake, while breakfast contributes only 16 %, making it smallest source.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by selecting and reporting the main features of the charts regarding the consumption of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar across four meal times. An adequate overview is provided in the second paragraph, outlining that the proportions depend on the type of meal. Key data points are accurately cited, such as dinner accounting for the highest sodium (43%) and saturated fat (37%), while snacks dominate added sugar intake at 42%. Comparisons are made appropriately, such as noting that the added sugar in snacks is 'almost twice dinner.' The response satisfies all requirements of Task Achievement, earning a solid Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. It begins with an introductory paraphrase and an overview, followed by distinct body paragraphs detailing the nutrients. Cohesive devices such as 'To start with,' 'Meanwhile,' 'In the second place,' and 'However' are employed to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different elements of the charts. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and referencing could be smoother in places, such as 'In the lunch meal, percentage figure stands...'. Overall, the coherence and cohesion support a clear and logical reading of the text, fitting the Band 7 criteria well.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms like 'quantitative proportion,' 'intake percentage,' 'fluctuating patterns,' and 'distribution.' There are some awkward phrasings or minor inaccuracies, such as 'sodium, dinner accounts for highest percentage for its intake' and 'mildly above one-fifth part.' Less common lexical items are attempted with some awareness of style, but occasional word choice and preposition errors prevent the score from reaching a higher band. Nevertheless, communication is never impeded, making this a clear Band 6.5 lexical performance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over relative clauses and introductory dependent clauses (e.g., 'which might be harmful to health if consumed in excessive amount'). There are several grammatical errors and missing articles throughout the text, such as 'dinner accounts for highest percentage' (missing 'the'), 'in excessive amount' (missing plural/article), and 'has somehow same percentages' (informal phrasing). Despite these errors, the sentences are generally clear, and complex structures are attempted with varying degrees of success. This aligns closely with the descriptor for Band 6.0.

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

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