Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-17

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.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 6.0)

The three pie charts illustrate the average percentages of three types of nutrients, namely sodium, saturated fat and added sugar, in typical meals consumed in the USA.

Overall, dinner accounted for the largest proportion of sodium and saturated fat, whereas snacks contained the largest percentage of added sugar. In contrast, breakfast generally represented the smallest share of all three nutrients.

According to the first pie chart, dinner made up the largest proportion of sodium consumption, at 43%, followed by lunch, at 29%. Breakfast and snacks each accounted for 14%. Regarding saturated fat dinner again had the highest figure, at 37%, while lunch represented 26%. Snacks accounted for 21%, and breakfast had the lowest percentage, at 16%.

Regarding added sugar snacks accounted for the highest proportion, at 42%, followed by dinner at, 23%. Lunch represented 19%, therefore, breakfast had the lowest percentage, at 16%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the main features and making relevant comparisons between the three nutrients. However, the response is 143 words long, failing to meet the 150-word minimum requirement. This under-length significantly impacts the score as the analysis is somewhat brief. While the key trends are identified, the lack of sufficient length prevents a more thorough development of the data, such as highlighting the specific differences between the nutrients in more detail. To improve, ensure you expand on the data points and provide a slightly more detailed overview to comfortably exceed the word count.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall', 'In contrast', and 'Regarding', which help to link the information effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different nutrients. The flow is generally smooth, though the transition between the data points could be slightly more sophisticated to reach a higher band. The structure is functional and supports the reader's understanding of the data presented in the charts.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'accounted for', and 'nutrients' correctly. The range is sufficient to describe the charts, though it remains somewhat repetitive with phrases like 'accounted for' and 'represented' used multiple times. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to vary your reporting verbs and nouns—for instance, using 'constituted', 'comprised', or 'made up' interchangeably, and employing more precise descriptors for the data trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically accurate, and the punctuation is generally handled well, although there is a minor error in the final paragraph: 'followed by dinner at, 23%'. This comma placement is incorrect. The control of grammar is good, and the errors present are infrequent and do not impede meaning. To improve, try to incorporate a wider variety of complex sentence structures, such as using participle clauses or relative clauses, to demonstrate greater grammatical flexibility.

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

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