Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-14

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 illustrates the average in typical meals of three types of nutrients, Sodium, Saturated fat, Added sugars consumed in USA.

Overall, dinner accounts for the largest proportion in sodium and saturated fat, while snacks contribute the highest percentage in added sugar. In contrast, breakfast generally represent the smallest share of these nutrients.

Regarding sodium, dinner makes up the largest proportion at 43% followed by lunch at 29%. Snacks account for only 14%, while breakfast contributes the remaining 14%. A similar pattern can be seen in saturated fat consumption, with dinner representing 37% and lunch accounted 26%. Snack make up 21%, whereas breakfast contained 16%.

The figure for added sugar show a different trend. Snacks are the main source accounting for 42% of the total, whereas dinner representing 23%. Lunch make up third place with 19% and breakfast has the smallest proportion, at 16%.

To be summarize, dinner accounted largest proportion in sodium and saturated fat intake, whereas snacks are the responsible for the highest proportion in added sugar category in the America.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You select and report the main features accurately: dinner has the highest shares of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks lead for added sugar. The figures given for each meal match the chart, and the overview makes the key contrast clear. You also compare the meal categories rather than listing isolated values, for example by describing a “similar pattern” for saturated fat. This is a well-focused response that addresses the task and supports its overview with relevant data. To strengthen it further, avoid the broad claim that breakfast “generally” has the smallest share: it ties with snacks for sodium, and breakfast is not the smallest for saturated fat. The final summary repeats the overview rather than adding a further comparison.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, separate paragraphs for sodium and saturated fat and for added sugar, and a concluding summary. Information progresses logically, and linking expressions such as “Overall,” “In contrast,” and “whereas” help signal comparisons. This organisation is effective, though some connections are repetitive or slightly mechanical: the conclusion restates the overview, and “To be summarize” does not form a natural transition. There is also a small cohesion issue in “the remaining 14%,” since breakfast and snacks each account for that share. For a stronger progression, use the final paragraph to draw a concise comparison across all three nutrients rather than repeating earlier points.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “proportion,” “accounts for,” “contribute,” and “main source,” and the reader can understand the comparisons. However, the range and control are uneven, with repeated reliance on “make up,” “proportion,” and “largest,” and several unnatural or inaccurate phrases. For example, “the average in typical meals” is unclear, “lunch accounted 26%” is an awkward collocation, and “the responsible for the highest proportion” is not idiomatic. “In the America” is also an inaccurate expression. Aim for more precise chart language and vary reporting verbs, while checking that chosen phrases fit their grammatical context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including comparisons with “while,” “whereas,” and “with,” and several sentences communicate the data clearly. However, errors recur in verb agreement and verb forms: “The pie charts illustrates” should be “illustrate,” “breakfast generally represent” should be “represents,” and “dinner representing 23%” needs a finite verb, such as “dinner represents 23%.” Other examples include “lunch accounted 26%” and “To be summarize,” which show difficulty controlling sentence patterns. These errors do not prevent the reader from following the main information, but they limit accuracy. Practise checking subject–verb agreement and ensuring each clause has a correctly formed verb.

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