Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-06
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 sodium , saturated fat and added sugar in dinner, lunch, breakfast and snack.
Overall, dinner accounted for the largest proportion of sodium and saturated fat, while breakfast and snack represented the lowest share. In contrast, snack contributed the most in added sugar, whereas lunch accounted least share.
Dinner accounted for the highest percentages of sodium at 43%, followed by lunch at 29%, and snack and breakfast at 14% each. Similarly, dinner contributed largest percectage of saturated fat at 37%, compared with lunch at 26%. The contribution of snack and breakfast were at 21% and 16% respectively.
By contrast, snack accounted for the largest percentage of added sugar at 42% and dinner at 23% making appoximately 2/3 of added sugar. lunch contributed at 16% and breakfast at 16% making the least share of added sugar.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The response addresses all parts of the prompt by presenting an overview and reporting the main features of the charts regarding sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar. Key data points such as the high percentage of sodium and saturated fat at dinner, and added sugar in snacks, are accurately highlighted and compared. However, the length requirement is not met, as the response falls short of the 150-word minimum at 141 words. Additionally, some ideas are slightly under-developed, particularly regarding the smaller meal categories, and there is a slight misstatement regarding added sugar percentages in the final paragraph where lunch and breakfast are equated incorrectly. To reach a higher band, the response would need to consistently develop all points more fully and strictly exceed the minimum word count.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The response presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and distinct body paragraphs for detailed comparisons. Information and ideas are logically sequenced using cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Similarly', and 'By contrast' to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the nutrients and meals. However, cohesion occasionally feels slightly mechanical, and referencing could be smoother. The half-band achievement reflects strong structural organization that meets the lower band completely while showing elements of clear progression typical of higher levels, though minor lapses in cohesive flow prevent a higher score.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms like 'proportion', 'accounted for', 'contributed', and 'percentage'. There are, however, noticeable lexical and spelling inaccuracies that prevent a higher band, such as 'percectage' instead of percentage, 'appoximately' instead of approximately, and awkward phrasing like 'lunch accounted least share'. Less common vocabulary is attempted, but word choice and collocation are not always precise, occasionally resulting in minor slips that slightly impede natural expression. Expanding the range of precise descriptive verbs and eliminating spelling mistakes will elevate the lexical score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over basic comparative structures such as 'Dinner accounted for the highest percentages of sodium at 43%, followed by lunch at 29%.' There are, however, some errors in grammar and punctuation, including missing prepositions or articles (e.g., 'lunch accounted least share' and 'and dinner at 23% making appoximately 2/3'), and minor subject-verb agreement issues like 'The contribution of snack and breakfast were'. These errors rarely impede communication, but they persist throughout the text. To achieve a higher band, the writer needs to produce a greater proportion of error-free complex sentences and maintain tighter grammatical control over modifiers and dependent clauses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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