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 given pie charts illustrate the ratio of presence of three particular nutrients in regular meals consumed in the United States of America.

Overall, dinner accounts for the highest intake of both sodium and saturated fat, whereas snacks contain the largest share of added sugar. In contrast, breakfast consistently comprises the lowest percentage across all three categories.

The break fast contains the least amount of all three substances; having 16% of both saturated fats and added sugars, while amount sodium is just 14%. The dinner has the largest presence of sodium and saturated fats at 43% and 37% simultaneously, keeping the added sugars at 23%.

The largest amount of sugar is present in snack which is 42%, while the sodium is 14% and fat is 21%. Lastly, the lunch contains most average numbers; sodium at 29%, fat at 26%and sugar at 19%. The breakfast and lunch both remained in average or lowest in all nutrient categories.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main pattern accurately: dinner has the largest shares of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks lead in added sugar. The overview also notes breakfast’s low contribution, and the figures you report for each meal are generally consistent with the chart. This gives the response a clear, relevant account of the key comparisons. To make the summary more fully developed, avoid the inaccurate claim that breakfast is the lowest for all three nutrients: its saturated fat and added sugar shares are tied at 16%, but snack is lower for sodium at 14%, matching breakfast. The statement that lunch contains “most average numbers” is also unclear and does not add a precise comparison. Clarifying these points would strengthen an otherwise well-focused report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details about breakfast, dinner, snacks and lunch. This makes the main information accessible, and transitions such as “Overall,” “In contrast” and “Lastly” help signal relationships. However, the body’s sequence is not fully systematic: it moves between meals rather than grouping comparisons by nutrient or following a consistent order. Some linking feels mechanical, and the final sentence repeats the idea that breakfast and lunch are low or average without clearly advancing the summary. Organise the details in a consistent pattern and use references such as “this figure” or “by comparison” more precisely to improve progression and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “accounts for,” “intake,” “largest share” and “categories,” and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “illustrate” and “comprises.” Some choices are inaccurate or unnatural, however: “ratio of presence” is not a natural way to describe the chart, “largest presence” is imprecise, and “most average numbers” is unclear. “Simultaneously” does not fit the intended meaning of reporting two figures together. Spelling and word formation also need attention in “break fast” and “amount sodium.” Prefer standard chart language such as “proportion,” “accounted for” and “respectively,” and check collocations before using less familiar expressions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the contrast in “Overall, dinner accounts for … whereas snacks contain …” and the participial construction beginning “having 16%.” Most sentences remain understandable, but some grammatical errors and punctuation problems are present. For example, “while amount sodium is just 14%” is missing a determiner and has an incomplete grammatical pattern; “The dinner has” uses an unnecessary article, and “26%and” needs spacing after the percentage. The semicolon in “substances; having 16%” also creates a fragment rather than a complete sentence. Build the breakfast figures into a complete clause, check articles and sentence boundaries, and proofread punctuation to improve accuracy while retaining varied structures.

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