Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-02

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 three kinds of nutrients (Sodium, Saturated fats and Added sugars) in general meals that are detrimental to health if consumed excessively.

Overall, sodium and saturated fats are consumed heavily at the dinner table whereas added sugar is loved by snacks lovers. In contrast, a moderate amount of sodium and saturated fats are eaten at lunch table. Not to mention, added sugar can be found on every type of meals.

Sodium and saturated fats are largely eaten on the dinner table, about 43% and 37% respectively. On snacks and breakfast, sodium intake is 14% while saturated fat is 21% and 16%. At lunch however, consumption of sodium is 29% and saturated fat is 26%.

Added sugar on the other hand, is massively consumed on snacks. Interestingly, on breakfast it is 16% when at lunch 19% added sugar can be found. Finally at the dinner 23% of added sugar is recorded.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response identifies the main pattern accurately: dinner has the highest shares of sodium and saturated fat (43% and 37%), while snacks account for the largest proportion of added sugar (42%). It also reports the remaining meal figures correctly, so the key data are relevant and well selected. The overview makes a useful comparison, although “a moderate amount” at lunch is vague and the claim that added sugar is found in every meal adds little analytical value. To show more of the precision expected at the next level, make the overview more comparative—for example, note that breakfast is the lowest for sodium and saturated fat, while added sugar is distributed differently, peaking at snacks. Avoid subjective wording such as “loved by snacks lovers.”

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs grouping the sodium and saturated-fat figures before discussing added sugar. This makes the information easy to follow. Linking expressions such as “In contrast,” “At lunch however,” and “on the other hand” help signal comparisons, but some transitions feel mechanical or are not punctuated clearly. The overview also repeats the dinner pattern that is then stated again in the detail paragraph, while “Not to mention” introduces a point without a clear connection to the main comparison. For stronger progression, organise the overview around the contrasting peaks and lows, then use the body paragraphs to support those points without repeating them.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

There is an adequate range of vocabulary for describing the chart, including “intake,” “consumption,” “respectively,” and “recorded.” These choices help communicate the figures, and the meaning remains clear. However, several expressions are imprecise or too informal for an academic report: “loved by snacks lovers,” “detrimental to health,” and “massively consumed” sound subjective or unnatural in this context. “Eaten on the dinner table” also describes where food is eaten rather than the proportion represented by the chart. Aim for neutral, precise collocations such as “accounted for,” “the proportion of,” and “was highest in.” This would make the vocabulary more consistently appropriate while retaining the useful range already shown.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and more complex forms, including contrast clauses such as “whereas added sugar…” and “when at lunch…”. Most figures can be understood, but some grammatical errors remain. The opening should be “The pie charts illustrate,” because the plural subject requires a plural verb. In “on snacks and breakfast, sodium intake is 14%,” the sentence structure makes it unclear that sodium is 14% in each meal; a clearer form is “Sodium accounts for 14% at both breakfast and snacks.” Articles and prepositions also need attention in phrases such as “at the dinner” and “at lunch table.” More consistently accurate agreement, articles, and sentence punctuation would strengthen control.

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