Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-23

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 illustrate the average percentages in typical meals of three kinds of nutrients - namely sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar.

Overall, the highest percentages are of sodium in dinner and added sugar in snack with 43% and 42% respectively, while the lowest percentages are of sodium in snack and breakfast at 16% each, followd by saturated fat and added sugar in breakfast with 16% each.

Comparatively, sodium has lower percentages in snack and breakfast - both at 14%, followed by saturated fat with 21% in snack and 16% in breakfast, while added sugar has the highest percentage in snack at 42%, but a relatively low percentage in breakfast at 16%, which is just more than sodium and equalizes with saturated fat.

In case of dinner and lunch, added sugar has the lowest percentages with 23% and 19% respectively, followed by saturated fat with a percentage of 37% in dinner and 26% in lunch, while sodium has the highest percentages in both the nutrients with dinner standing at 43% and lunch standing at 29%

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The student successfully identifies the main features of the charts, presenting the highest and lowest percentages across the four meal times for the three nutrients. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, highlighting key extremes such as sodium in dinner at 43% and added sugar in snacks at 42%. However, there are some minor data inconsistencies and minor confusions in the reporting of figures. For instance, the student states that the lowest percentages of sodium in snack and breakfast are 'at 16% each', whereas the transcription and chart show them as 14%. Furthermore, phrasing such as 'sodium has the highest percentages in both the nutrients' contains a slight error since there are three nutrients, not two. Despite these minor data misreadings, all parts of the prompt are addressed and key comparisons are made.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response is structured into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overview, and then breaking down the meal categories. Cohesive devices are employed to link ideas together, such as 'Overall', 'Comparatively', and 'In case of dinner and lunch'. However, the progression within sentences occasionally becomes tangled or repetitive, such as the overly long and dense sentence structure in the second paragraph ('while the lowest percentages are of sodium in snack and breakfast at 16% each, followd by saturated fat and added sugar in breakfast with 16% each'). Paragraphing is used sufficiently to organise the response, but referencing and logical flow could be sharper.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a Task 1 response, using terms such as 'illustrate', 'percentages', 'nutrients', and 'respectively'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, though this is occasionally marred by awkward phrasing or minor inaccuracies, such as 'equalizes with saturated fat' or 'in case of dinner and lunch'. Spelling is generally accurate, with only one minor slip ('followd'). The lexical range is sufficient to convey the main trends, but lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating a reasonable attempt at subordination and coordination. There are instances of good grammatical control, particularly in introductory clauses. However, several grammatical slips and awkward phrasings occur, such as 'sodium has the highest percentages in both the nutrients with dinner standing at 43% and lunch standing at 29%', which lacks proper punctuation and parallel structure. Another error appears in 'followd by saturated fat', where spelling and verb participle forms are mismanaged. Despite these errors, meaning is rarely impeded, supporting a solid Band 6.0 score.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.