Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-09

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 percentage of sodium, saturated fats and added sugars in typical meals consumed in the USA.

Overall, the three nutrients are consistently present in all the four type of meals. Sodium and saturated fat is present in a significant amount in lunch and dinner, while added sugar is largely present in snacks.

There is 41% sodium and 37% saturated fat in meals like dinner. However, the percentage of added sugar in dinner is 23%. The percentage of sodium and saturated fat in lunch is comparatively similar, that is 29% and 26% respectively. Only 19% of added sugar is recorded in lunch.

Breakfast and snack contains equal percentages of sodium and that is 14%. The percentage of saturated fat is slightly different in breakfast and snack. 21% of saturated fat is present in meals like snack and only 16% is present in breakfast. The percentage of nutrients like added sugar and saturated fat is equal in a breakfast. However, a noticeable percentage of added sugar is found in a snack consisting of 42% of the chart.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main pattern accurately: dinner has the highest shares of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks lead for added sugar. The comparisons for lunch and breakfast/snacks also select relevant features, and the overview gives the reader a useful summary. However, one key figure is inaccurate: dinner contains 43% sodium, not 41%. The statement that sodium and saturated fat are present in a “significant amount” in lunch and dinner is also broad; the figures show dinner is highest for both, while lunch is second. To strengthen the response further, report the remaining useful contrasts more precisely, such as breakfast’s low shares and the difference between snack sugar and snack fat. The response covers the task well, though some comparisons are less fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a clear overall shape, moving from an introduction and overview to comparisons of dinner, lunch, breakfast and snacks. This makes the information reasonably easy to follow. However, progression within the body is somewhat list-like, with repeated sentence openings such as “The percentage of…” and repeated use of “is present.” The final paragraph also combines several comparisons without a clear hierarchy, and “However” does not establish a strong contrast in every instance. Grouping the data by the most important patterns—for example, dinner/lunch versus breakfast/snacks, then the contrasting sugar pattern—would create a more continuous progression. Use linking and reference more flexibly so the relationships between figures are clear without relying on repeated phrasing.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “average percentage,” “comparatively similar,” “noticeable,” and “consisting of,” and the meaning is generally clear. Some choices are imprecise or repetitive, however. “Present in a significant amount” is an awkward way to describe chart proportions, and “meals like dinner” is less suitable for formal data reporting. The repeated use of “percentage” and “present” also limits flexibility. Choose verbs that describe the data directly, such as “accounted for,” “represented,” or “was highest in,” and use “meal types” rather than “type of meals.” More precise collocations would make the comparisons sound more natural and concise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more developed sentence forms, and most of the information remains understandable. Some grammatical errors are noticeable, particularly with agreement and articles: “all the four type of meals” should be “all four types of meals,” and “Sodium and saturated fat is” should be “Sodium and saturated fat are.” Similarly, “Breakfast and snack contains” needs a plural verb, while “in a breakfast” is not grammatically appropriate in this context. The sentence beginning “The percentage of nutrients…” is also awkwardly constructed. Review subject–verb agreement, plural forms and article use, then vary sentence structures while keeping comparisons direct. These corrections would improve accuracy without requiring more complicated sentences.

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