Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-19

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 compare the total proportion of three types of nutrients found in typical meals consumed in the USA, but can be unhealthy if eaten too much.

Overall, Saturated fat and Added sugar had the same percentage found during breakfast. During snack time, added sugar had the highest amount. Sodium is highly added to lunch and dinner time, followed by saturated fat.

Saturated fat and Added sugar are both the leading nutrients that can be found during breakfast at 16%, while sodium was the least at 14%. Added sugar is mostly found in snack time with a figure of 42%, making it the largest nutrient among the three, whereas the least nutrient found is sodium at 14%.

A large amount of sodium is found during meals such as lunch and dinner at 29% and 43%, respectively. Saturated fat came next to sodium with 37%.In contrast, lunch meals had less added sugar in them while only 23% for dinner.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify several important features accurately: breakfast has equal shares of saturated fat and added sugar (16%), sodium is lowest there (14%), and added sugar peaks in snacks (42%). You also report the sodium figures for lunch and dinner correctly. This gives the response a relevant overview and some useful comparisons. However, the account is incomplete and occasionally unclear: the overview does not state that dinner is the largest source of both sodium and saturated fat, and the final comparison misreports dinner added sugar as 23% without clearly contrasting it with the correct lunch figure of 19%. The saturated-fat figure of 37% is also not explicitly linked to dinner. More complete, precise coverage of the main patterns would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details, and the paragraphs broadly group related information. However, progression is uneven because the breakfast and snack details are repeated: the overview says added sugar is highest during snack time, then the next paragraph repeats this with the 42% figure. Some links are also unclear. For example, “Saturated fat came next to sodium with 37%” does not specify the meal, while “In contrast” introduces a comparison that is difficult to follow. Improve cohesion by grouping figures by meal or nutrient, avoiding repeated points, and using explicit references such as “at dinner” and “compared with lunch.”

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a sufficient range of task-related vocabulary, including “proportion,” “figure,” “highest,” and “least,” and the meaning is generally understandable. There are, however, several imprecise or unnatural choices that limit flexibility. “Nutrients found during breakfast” and “the largest nutrient among the three” suggest the chart measures the amount or size of nutrients, rather than their percentage contribution to meals. “Sodium is highly added to lunch” is also an awkward collocation and may imply that sodium is deliberately added. Use precise chart language such as “accounted for,” “made up,” or “the share of.” Vary repeated wording like “found” and “amount” to make comparisons more natural and exact.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex forms, including the contrast clause beginning “whereas” and the sentence comparing lunch and dinner. Most of the message remains clear, but some grammatical and punctuation errors are present. The opening sentence is awkwardly constructed: “three types of nutrients found in typical meals …, but can be unhealthy” leaves the subject of “can be” unclear. In “Saturated fat and Added sugar are both,” the unnecessary capitalisation is not a grammar issue, but the sentence would benefit from consistent sentence construction. There is also a missing space after the full stop in “37%.In contrast.” Check clause connections and punctuation, and make sure each comparison has a clear grammatical subject.

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