Key features to report

• Dinner is the largest source of sodium (43%) and saturated fat (37%), well ahead of any other meal.
• Snacks dominate added sugar at 42%, almost double the share of dinner (23%), even though they provide only 14% of sodium and 21% of saturated fat.
• Lunch is the second biggest source of sodium (29%) and saturated fat (26%) but only the third biggest source of added sugar (19%).
• Breakfast is the smallest contributor overall: 14% of sodium and 16% of both saturated fat and added sugar, so it never exceeds 16% of any nutrient.
• Sodium and saturated fat follow the same ranking (dinner, lunch, then snacks and breakfast), while added sugar shows an almost reversed pattern, with snacks first.
• Lunch and dinner together supply 72% of sodium and 63% of saturated fat, but only 42% of added sugar.

Model overview

Overall, dinner is the main source of both sodium and saturated fat, whereas snacks account for by far the largest share of added sugar. Breakfast contributes the smallest proportion of all three nutrients.

Paragraph plan

1. 1

   Introduction

   Paraphrase the task in one sentence: the three pie charts compare the average proportions of sodium, saturated fat and added sugar that Americans consume at breakfast, lunch, dinner and in snacks.

2. 2

   Overview

   State the two main patterns without figures: dinner provides the most sodium and saturated fat, snacks provide the most added sugar, and breakfast is the smallest source of all three.

3. 3

   Body paragraph 1: sodium and saturated fat

   Group the two charts with the same pattern. Give dinner's 43% and 37%, lunch's 29% and 26%, then compare snacks (14% and 21%) with breakfast (14% and 16%), noting that breakfast and snacks share equally in sodium.

4. 4

   Body paragraph 2: added sugar

   Contrast the sugar chart: snacks 42%, nearly twice dinner's 23%, with lunch at 19% and breakfast at 16%. Finish with a comparison such as lunch and dinner combined supplying over 70% of sodium but only 42% of sugar.

Useful comparisons

• Group sodium and saturated fat together because their rankings are almost identical, then treat added sugar separately as the exception.
• Compare the role of snacks across the charts: the smallest source of sodium (tied with breakfast at 14%) but the largest source of added sugar (42%).
• Compare dinner across the charts: 43% of sodium, 37% of saturated fat, but only 23% of added sugar.
• Point out that breakfast is consistently the least significant source, at 14% to 16% in every chart.
• Combine main meals: lunch and dinner together provide 72% of sodium and 63% of saturated fat compared with 42% of added sugar.
• Use fractions to vary the language: dinner supplies over two fifths of sodium, and snacks supply just over two fifths of added sugar.

Band 8+ model answer

190 words · An original model answer written for ieltswrites, not an official answer. It stays in English, as in the exam.

Why this answer scores highly

Task Achievement

The answer opens with a clear overview of the two contrasting patterns, then supports them with accurate percentages for every meal, highlighting the most significant figures rather than listing all twelve mechanically.

Coherence and Cohesion

Grouping sodium and saturated fat in one paragraph and added sugar in another makes the comparison logical, and devices such as respectively, by contrast and the remaining link ideas smoothly.

Lexical Resource

Varied expressions such as supplies, accounts for, is responsible for and contributes avoid repeating the same verb, and accurate topic words such as intake and nutrient show precise vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

The answer combines comparative structures, relative and participle clauses and correctly used present tenses, with accurate articles and number agreement throughout.

Useful vocabulary

sodium

a chemical element found mainly in salt; too much can raise blood pressure

saturated fat

a type of fat found in foods such as butter, cheese and fatty meat

added sugar

sugar put into food or drink during preparation, rather than sugar that occurs naturally

account for

make up a particular proportion of a total

the main source of

the place or meal that provides the largest amount of something

contribute

provide part of a total

the largest share

the biggest part of the whole

intake

the amount of a substance that a person eats or drinks

respectively

in the same order as the items just mentioned

almost double

nearly twice as much as another figure

just over two fifths

slightly more than 40%; a way to paraphrase 42% or 43%

by contrast

used to introduce a clearly different pattern

the reverse pattern

an order that is the opposite of the one described before

consumed

eaten or drunk

Common mistakes

• Writing that Americans eat more sodium than sugar, or comparing the amounts of different nutrients, when each chart only shows how one nutrient is shared between meals.
• Describing the three charts one by one in separate paragraphs without comparing them, which hides the key contrast between sugar and the other two nutrients.
• Using trend language such as increased or decreased, although the charts show no change over time.
• Missing the overview, or writing an overview that simply repeats the percentages.
• Calling the meals breakfast, lunch and dinner but forgetting snacks, which is the most important category for added sugar.
• Adding health advice or opinions about American eating habits, which is not required in Task 1.

Frequently asked questions

Which Cambridge book is this question from?

These pie charts about sodium, saturated fat and added sugar in typical US meals are Writing Task 1 of Test 1 in Cambridge IELTS 14 Academic, published in 2019.

Should I use past or present tense for these pie charts?

Use the present simple, because the charts show average eating habits with no dates. Past tenses are only needed when a chart refers to a specific time in the past.

Do I need to describe all three charts separately?

No. It is better to group the sodium and saturated fat charts because they follow a similar pattern, and then contrast them with the added sugar chart, where snacks are the main source.

How many words should I write for this Task 1?

Write at least 150 words; about 170-200 words gives enough room for an overview and the key comparisons without listing every percentage.