Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-24

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 give information about three potential harmful type of nutrients, sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar, and their proportion existing in average meals consumed by the people of USA.

Overall, the nutrients almost remain the same in amount on breakfast but added sugar predominate in the snack category.

During dinnner, sodium intake remains the highest making up 43% of total intake, followed by lunch at 29%, and sharing the same spot at 14% in snacks and breakfast. Saturated fat intake follows the same pattern of sodium with the highest intake percentage during dinner making up 37% of total intake, followed by lunch at 26%. However, the intake of saturated fat during snacktime surpass its intake percentage during breakfast. Added sugar is mostly absorbed during snacktime, making up 42%, followed by dinner at 23%, lunch at 19%, and breakfast at 16%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main patterns accurately: dinner has the largest shares of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks account for the most added sugar. The figures you report—such as 43% sodium at dinner and 42% added sugar in snacks—match the chart, and you include comparisons across meals. However, the overview is unclear when it says nutrients “almost remain the same in amount on breakfast”; breakfast values are not all the same, and the key contrast could be stated more precisely. The saturated-fat comparison between snacks and breakfast is mentioned but not quantified, and the response does not meet the 150-word minimum, containing 142 words. Develop the overview and add a little more relevant comparison.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph reporting the meal-by-meal figures. This makes the information easy to locate, and linking expressions such as “followed by” and “However” help show comparisons. The progression is generally logical, moving from sodium to saturated fat and then added sugar. Some cohesion is less effective, though: the overview’s claim about breakfast is vague, and the long final paragraph places several data series together without clear internal grouping. Consider separating the nutrient comparisons or using more explicit transitions to guide the reader. This would make the organisation feel less list-like while retaining the useful overall structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “proportion,” “intake,” “making up,” and “predominate,” and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “potential harmful type of nutrients,” although this wording is not natural; “potentially harmful nutrients” would be more idiomatic. Some word choices and collocations reduce precision: “sharing the same spot” is informal for equal percentages, and nutrients are not usually “absorbed” in a meal chart. There is also a spelling error in “dinnner.” Aim for accurate, natural collocations rather than adding formality where it does not fit. These issues do not prevent the reader from understanding the comparisons.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the overview sentence beginning “Overall” and the contrast introduced by “However.” Most of the data remains understandable, but some grammatical errors are present. For example, “the nutrients almost remain the same in amount on breakfast” has an awkward structure and incorrect preposition; “the proportions are similar at breakfast” would be clearer. In “the intake of saturated fat during snacktime surpass its intake percentage,” the verb does not agree with the singular subject, and the comparison is structurally awkward. The opening phrase also needs a more complete grammatical construction. Check subject–verb agreement, articles, and prepositions, and revise long sentences so each comparison has a clear subject.

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