Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-08

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 5.5)

The bar chart compares the result of a survey about individuals coffee and tea purchases and consumption habits in 5 Australian cities.

overall, except for in Adelaide the Australian went to a cafe for tea and coffee the most in last 4 weeks, while brought fresh coffee accounted for the least proportion.

people that lived in Melbourne went to the cafe for coffee or tea in last 4 weeks at the largest percentage with almost 65%, followed by individuals that stayed in Hobart at above 60%, and Adelaide with the least proportion with just 50%. In contrast, citizens brought fresh coffee in last 4 weeks at the least rate, as Sydney had below 45%, Brisbane and Adelaide at almost the same percentage just with a difference with about 2%.

In addition, Australian bought instant coffee in the last 4 weeks at a moderate level, with almost 46% of resident in Sydney and 50% in Adelaide.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the chart, such as identifying the highest and lowest categories across cities. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. The overview is slightly confusing, as it mentions Adelaide as an exception but does not clearly contrast the overall trends. Furthermore, the data reporting is inconsistent; for instance, the comparison of 'fresh coffee' in Sydney, Brisbane, and Adelaide is vague, and the mention of instant coffee is incomplete, failing to cover all five cities. To reach a higher band, you should ensure that all categories are clearly compared and that the data points are accurately represented for all locations mentioned in the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and the use of cohesive devices is limited. For example, the transition between the cafe habits and the fresh coffee habits is abrupt. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the phrase 'the Australian went to a cafe', which lacks precision. Improving the use of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'in comparison') would help create a more logical progression of ideas throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher bands. There are several awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'brought fresh coffee' (should be 'bought') and 'at the least rate'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'percentage' and 'level'. To improve, you should focus on using more sophisticated synonyms and ensuring correct word forms, as well as refining your ability to describe statistical trends with greater accuracy.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally hinder clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'the Australian went'), incorrect article usage, and punctuation errors. For instance, 'overall' should be capitalized at the start of the sentence, and the phrasing 'just with a difference with about 2%' is grammatically incorrect. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence construction and proofreading for basic errors will be beneficial.

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

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