Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-26

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 given pie charts illustrates the average proportion of three types of elements i.e, sodium, saturated fat and added sugar, eaten by Americans, which are quite harmful when over eaten, during any meal of the day.

Overall, there are four types of meal proportions provided in each circle, breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. In snacks, added sugar take up the most section whereas sodium and saturated fat are most prominent in dinner.

Starting with breakfast, each nutrient is in a moderate quantity, added sugar and saturated fat of 16% and sodium at 14%. Then for lunch, sodium and saturated fat both were of more than quarter while added sugar was only 19%, approximately 10 times less than sodium.

For dinner, more sodium and saturated fat induced food were eaten by Americans as these were of highest rate 43% and 37% respectively. Meanwhile, added sugar remained at 23%. In snacks, added sugar has taken up the significant chunk with 42% in total. Saturated fat was moderate and sodium was lowest.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The student successfully covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar consumption across four meal types in the USA. An adequate overview is provided, highlighting the prominence of added sugar in snacks and sodium and saturated fat in dinner. Key data points are selected and compared, such as the highest rates of sodium (43%) and saturated fat (37%) at dinner, and added sugar at 42% in snacks. However, there is a minor mathematical slip in the commentary regarding lunch, where the writer states that added sugar was 'approximately 10 times less than sodium' (19% compared to 29%), which is factually inaccurate based on the chart. Despite this miscalculation, the overall reporting is clear and meets the criteria for Band 6.5, leaning towards Band 7 due to comprehensive coverage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is organized into a logical four-paragraph structure comprising an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing the specific categories. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the data, such as 'Overall', 'Starting with breakfast', 'Then for lunch', and 'Meanwhile'. Paragraphing is handled appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct function in grouping the information. Referencing is generally clear, although the transition between ideas in the lunch and dinner paragraphs could be slightly smoother. Overall, the logical organization and progression are clear throughout, justifying a solid Band 7 for coherence and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an academic task, incorporating terms like 'proportion', 'prominent', 'moderate quantity', and 'significant chunk'. However, there are some noticeable inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For instance, the phrase 'over eaten' should be written as one word or replaced with 'consumed in excess', 'take up' should be 'takes up' (agreement issue involving vocabulary structure), and 'induced food' is an awkward collocation. Furthermore, spelling and phrasing errors like 'pie charts illustrates' (singular/plural mismatch) occur. These lexical errors constrain the score to Band 6, as the vocabulary is sufficient for the task but lacks the precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as using participial phrases ('all of which may be harmful when over eaten') and subordinate clauses. However, grammatical errors are fairly frequent. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('charts illustrates', 'added sugar take up'), tense inconsistencies ('were of more than quarter while added sugar was only'), and awkward phrasing ('sodium and saturated fat both were of more than quarter'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the frequency of grammatical inaccuracies means that while communication is not impeded, the control is characteristic of Band 6 rather than Band 7.

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

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