Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-14

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 PIE CHART ILLUSTRATES THE PROPORTION OF PERCENTAGES OF SODIUM, SATURATED FATS AND ADDED SUGARS IN TYPICAL MEALS CONSUMED IN USA EXPRESSED AS PERCENTAGES.

OVERALL, IT IS CLEAR THAT IN DINNER SODIUM ACCOUNTED FOR LARGEST SHARE, WHEREAS ADDED SUGAR REPRESENTED THE SMALLEST PROPORTION. FURTHERMORE, THE COMBINED PERCENTAGES OF THE MAJOR CATEGORIES WERE CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN THOSE OF REMAINING SEGMENTS.

LOOKING FIRST AT THE DOMINANT CATEGORIES, SODIUM CONSTITUED 43% OF TOTAL DURING THE DINNER TIME MAKING IT THE LARGEST SEGMENT IN SODIUM CHART. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY LUNCH 29% AND BREAKFAST AND SNACKS ACCOUNTED FOR 14% EACH. ADDITIONALLY, CONSUMPTION OF SATURATED FAT DURING DINNER SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THERE OTHER MEALS DOMINATING WITH 37% OF TOTAL IN GRAPH. MOREOVER, THE STAKE FOR LUNCH, SNACKS AND BREAKFAST WERE 26%, 21% AND 16% RESPECTIVELY.

MEANWHILE, ADDED SUGAR DOMINATING DURING SNACKS MEAL WITH 42% INDIVIDUALLY. WHILE, BREAKFAST ACCOUNTED FOR ONLY 16%, MAKING IT THE SMALLEST CONTRIBUTOR. THE PROPORTIONS OF THESE CATEGORIES WERE LUNCH AND DINNER REAINED LOWER THAN THAT OF SNACKS ALONE.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully addresses the prompt by selecting, reporting, and comparing the main features of the three charts showing nutrient percentages in typical meals. The introduction identifies the subject matter, and the overview captures the most salient trends. Key data points are cited appropriately across the categories, such as sodium constituting 43% during dinner and added sugar peaking at 42% during snacks. However, there are minor inaccuracies in data reporting; for example, the text notes that the consumption of saturated fat during dinner was '37% of total in graph,' whereas the charts depict separate pie charts for each nutrient rather than a single cumulative total. Furthermore, the phrasing 'proportion of percentages' is slightly redundant. Despite these minor lapses, the main features are sufficiently covered and compared, aligning well with the Band 6.5 to 7.0 profile.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into four paragraphs, following a logical structure with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs dedicated to specific nutritional categories. Cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader through the data, utilizing transition signals such as 'OVERALL', 'FURTHERMORE', 'LOOKING FIRST AT', and 'MEANWHILE'. However, referencing and cohesion occasionally become slightly mechanical or awkward, as seen in the phrase 'THERE OTHER MEALS' (likely a typo for 'than other meals') and the fragmented sentence structure in the final paragraph starting with 'WHILE, BREAKFAST ACCOUNTED...'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, maintaining a clear overall progression throughout the text, which justifies a solid Band 6.5 descriptor placement.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary utilized is adequate for the task, attempting some less common and topic-specific items such as 'proportion', 'dominant', 'constituted', and 'contributor'. There are, however, several lexical inaccuracies, non-standard word forms, and typos, including 'CONSTITUNED' instead of 'constituted', 'STAKE' instead of 'share' or 'proportion', and 'REAINED' instead of 'remained'. Additionally, writing the entire response in ALL CAPS reduces the natural appearance of lexical control. While the writer attempts a varied vocabulary, these persistent slips in word choice and spelling prevent the response from reaching the Band 7 threshold, comfortably placing it at Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating relative clauses and introductory prepositional phrases. There are, nevertheless, frequent grammatical errors and awkward phrasings. For instance, the sentence 'ADDITIONALLY, CONSUMPTION OF SATURATED FAT DURING DINNER SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THERE OTHER MEALS DOMINATING WITH 37%' lacks a main verb and contains preposition errors. Similarly, 'THE PROPORTIONS OF THESE CATEGORIES WERE LUNCH AND DINNER REAINED LOWER' exhibits faulty clause connection. Punctuation is also affected by the use of all-caps formatting and comma splices. Because errors occur frequently in complex structures and sometimes cause slight strain for the reader, the grammar performance best fits the Band 5.5 descriptor.

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

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