Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-25

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 proportions in typical meals of three types of ingredients, all of which possibly unhealthy it eaten too much in the USA.

Overall, dinner comprises the highest levels of sodium and saturated fat, whereas snacks contain the highest levels of added sugar. On the other hand, breakfast accounts for the lowest levels of three types of nutrients.

Regarding the sodium and saturated fat pie chart, dinner represents the major section with 43% and 37%, respectively. This is followed by lunch which forms 29% of the sodium pie chart compared to 26% of the saturated fat one. Both snack and breakfast segment show a similar percentages of 14% sodium, while they differ in the saturated fat pie chart as snack section forms 21% while breakfast 16%.

For added sugar pie chart, snack forms the largest section with 42% followed by dinner which forms 23%. Lunch and breakfast sections have the lowest percentages with 19% and 16%, respectively. So added sugar pie chart indicates a different patterns compared to sodium and saturated fat one.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response covers all parts of the prompt well. You successfully identify the main features and make clear comparisons across the three charts. For example, you note that dinner comprises the highest levels of sodium and saturated fat (43% and 37%), while snacks dominate added sugar consumption at 42%. The overview statement accurately captures the most striking general trends, and the data is correctly reported without significant misreadings. To reach a higher band, you could integrate the data more fluidly rather than listing percentages exhaustively across separate paragraphs, ensuring that every comparison is fully contextualised.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay is logically organised with a clear introduction, an overall summary paragraph, and distinct body paragraphs grouping the data by nutrient types. Cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'On the other hand', and 'This is followed by' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the charts. However, paragraphing could be slightly more streamlined, and cohesive devices are at times somewhat mechanical. Referencing is generally clear, though minor repetition in sentence openings holds the score back from the higher bands.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an Academic Task 1 response, using terms such as 'comprises', 'proportion', 'segment', and 'percentages'. However, there are noticeable lexical errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'all of which possibly unhealthy it eaten too much' instead of 'all of which are potentially unhealthy if eaten in excess', and 'a similar percentages'. These errors do not impede communication, but they reflect a Band 6 level where less common lexical items are attempted with occasional inaccuracy.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating relative clauses ('which forms 29%') and comparative structures ('dinner comprises the highest levels... whereas snacks contain...'). There are, however, several grammatical errors throughout the text, including missing prepositions and article issues (e.g., 'For added sugar pie chart' instead of 'For the added sugar pie chart' and 'a different patterns' instead of 'different patterns'). The majority of simple sentences are clear, but frequent minor errors prevent higher accuracy bands.

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

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