Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-06

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The chart below shows the results of a survey about people’s coffee and tea buying and drinking habits in five Australian cities.

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

Student answer (Band 6.5)

The bar chart compares the percentage of residents in five Australian cities who bought fresh coffee, bought instant coffee, or visited a café for coffee or tea over a four-week period.

Overall, visiting a café was the most common activity across all five cities, while buying fresh coffee was consistently the least popular. Instant coffee occupied a middle position everywhere, though its popularity varied more sharply between cities than the other two categories.

Café visits were highest in Melbourne and Hobart, both at around 63%, followed closely by Sydney at 61%. Brisbane and Adelaide lagged behind, at approximately 56% and 50% respectively, making Adelaide the only city where café attendance fell below half the population.

Instant coffee purchases showed a similar pattern to café visits, with Hobart recording the highest figure at roughly 55%, ahead of Brisbane at 53% and Adelaide at 50%. Sydney and Melbourne were lower still, at around 46% and 48%.

Fresh coffee purchases followed a different trend. Sydney led this category at approximately 44%, with Melbourne close behind at 43%. Hobart, despite its strong showing in the other two categories, dropped to about 39% here, while Brisbane and Adelaide recorded the lowest figures overall, at around 34% and 35% respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response7.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource6.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.5
Overall6.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response is excellent. You have successfully identified the main features of the data and provided a clear overview. You have accurately selected and reported the key trends, such as the popularity of café visits versus the lower figures for fresh coffee. Comparisons are made effectively across the five cities, and the data is used to support your points without simply listing numbers. The information is well-selected and fully addresses the prompt, meeting all requirements for a high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific category, which makes the information easy to follow. You have used cohesive devices such as 'while,' 'followed closely by,' and 'despite its strong showing' to link ideas effectively. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall flow of the report. The structure is clear, and the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is seamless.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for an academic report. Phrases like 'occupied a middle position,' 'lagged behind,' and 'recorded the highest figure' show a natural and precise use of language. The vocabulary is varied and allows for clear communication of the trends. While the range is sufficient and precise, incorporating a few more sophisticated synonyms for 'high' or 'low' could elevate the response further, but the current usage is accurate and fits the context well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writing is highly accurate with a variety of complex sentence structures. You have used a mix of simple and complex sentences effectively, such as 'Café visits were highest in Melbourne and Hobart, both at around 63%, followed closely by Sydney at 61%.' Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. The control over grammar is consistent throughout the text, and the majority of sentences are error-free, which is indicative of a high level of proficiency.

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

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