Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-21

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 proportion of breakfast, dinner, lunch and snacks of three types of nutrients (sodium, saturated fats, added sugar) in the USA, all of which may be detrimental if consumed in excess.

Overall, it is evident that sodium and saturated fats are consumed significantly more at dinner compared to lunch, breakfast and snacks. Furthermore, sugar showed higher consumption in snacks.

On the one hand, the percentage of sodium consumed in breakfast accounted for 14%, followed by dinner, lunch and snacks, at 43%, 29% and 14% respectively.

On the other hand, the consumption of saturated fats and added sugar showed a similar trend in breakfast, which was responsible for 16%. Moreover, the proportion of saturated fat and sugar which was consumed in snacks demonstrated the double proportion from 21% to 42%. Moreover, saturated fat which was consumed in lunch was 26%, and sugar which was also consumed in lunch was 19%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the main features of the three nutrients across the four meal categories. You successfully highlighted the dominance of dinner for sodium and saturated fats, as well as the peak for sugar in snacks. However, the analysis is slightly mechanical in its listing of percentages. To reach a higher band, ensure that comparisons are more integrated rather than just listing data points. For instance, instead of listing percentages for sodium in a single sentence, you could contrast the dinner figure directly with the breakfast figure to show the magnitude of the difference more effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. The use of cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'Furthermore' helps guide the reader. However, the transition between the discussion of saturated fats and sugar in the final paragraph is a bit abrupt. The phrase 'demonstrated the double proportion from 21% to 42%' is slightly confusing in its phrasing. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that referencing is precise would enhance the overall coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'detrimental', 'proportion', and 'consumed in excess'. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, though some phrasing is slightly awkward, such as 'demonstrated the double proportion'. The word choice is generally accurate and sufficient to convey the intended meaning without impeding communication. To improve, focus on more precise collocations and varied ways to describe data trends, such as 'accounted for', 'constituted', or 'represented' to avoid repetition.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the grammar is generally clear, there are some minor inaccuracies. For example, 'the proportion of saturated fat and sugar which was consumed in snacks demonstrated the double proportion from 21% to 42%' is a bit clunky and grammatically heavy. Additionally, the use of 'which' in several consecutive clauses makes the sentences feel repetitive. Focusing on varying your sentence structure and ensuring subject-verb agreement will help improve the accuracy and flow of your writing.

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

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