Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 chart illustrates te average percentages of three different types of nutrients in the typical meals, all of them are unhealthy if eaten too much.

Overall, it can be seen that the sodium and saturated fat had been significantly eaten in dinner. Another noticeable feature is that added sugar had taken more in snacks.

To begin with, sodium has been taken in a larger amount approximately 43% in dinner. While 29% were taken in lunch and 14% were taken in the breakfast and snacks. On the other hand saturated fat has been taken in a big amount but lesser than sodium in dinner which is approximately 37%. However, 26% were eaten in lunch and 21% were eaten in snacks. In breakfast, 16% Saturated fat would be eaten.

Furthermore, the added sugar had taken in significant number of snacks about 42%. While 23% were taken in dinner and 19% tahen in lunch. At last the 16% sugar were taken in breakfast.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You identify the main patterns accurately: dinner accounts for the largest shares of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks are the leading source of added sugar. The figures you report—such as 43% sodium at dinner, 37% saturated fat at dinner and 42% added sugar in snacks—match the chart, and you include comparisons across meals. The overview is clear, although “significantly eaten” is imprecise and the opening repeats the prompt rather than adding useful information. To strengthen the report further, make the overview more comparative by noting that breakfast is the lowest or joint-lowest meal for all three nutrients, and distinguish the different distributions more explicitly. Overall, the key features are selected and supported with relevant data, though some comparisons could be developed further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group sodium with saturated fat and then discuss added sugar. This gives the reader a generally logical route through the information. Linking phrases such as “Overall,” “To begin with,” and “Furthermore” help signal stages, and the figures are mostly presented in a sensible order. However, some connections are mechanical or unclear: “While 29% were taken in lunch” is a fragment, and “At last” is not a natural way to introduce the final figure. The repeated “were taken” pattern also makes the progression feel list-like. Use complete comparison sentences and clearer references to meals and nutrients to make cohesion more flexible and precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main chart information, using relevant terms such as “percentages,” “nutrients,” “dinner,” and “snacks.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are noticeably unnatural, which reduces precision. For example, nutrients are not usually described as being “taken” in a meal, and “a big amount” and “significant number” do not fit these percentage comparisons. “Had taken more in snacks” is also unclear. There is a spelling error in “tahen,” and “te” in the opening appears to be a typo. Aim for accurate reporting verbs and comparison language, such as “accounted for,” “made up,” “share,” and “higher than,” rather than repeating “taken.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt some sentence variety, including contrast clauses and an overview, but control is uneven. The opening joins two independent clauses with a comma (“The pie chart illustrates …, all of them are…”), and “While 29% were taken in lunch” is an incomplete subordinate clause. Verb forms are also inconsistent: “had been significantly eaten” and “would be eaten” do not suit a chart describing usual meal percentages; present simple forms would be more appropriate. There are also article and agreement problems, as in “in the breakfast” and “the 16% sugar were taken.” These errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the data, but more reliable sentence construction and consistent tense are needed. Practise complete comparisons and accurate present-tense reporting.

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

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