Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-13

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 8.0)

The bar chart compares the percentages of residents in five Australian cities who bought fresh or instant coffee, or visited a café for coffee or tea, during the previous four weeks.

Overall, visiting a café was the most popular activity in four of the five cities, with Melbourne recording the highest figure. By contrast, buying fresh coffee was the least common habit in all five cities. Adelaide was the only city where visiting a café was slightly less common than buying instant coffee.

Looking first at fresh and instant coffee, the proportion of residents who bought fresh coffee was highest in Sydney, at approximately 44%, followed by Melbourne and Hobart, at around 43% and 39%, respectively. Brisbane and Adelaide recorded lower figures, at about 34% and 35%. In terms of instant coffee, Hobart had the highest proportion, at roughly 54%, while Adelaide and Brisbane stood at around 50% and 53%, respectively. Melbourne recorded approximately 48%, whereas Sydney had the lowest figure, at about 46%.

Turning to café visits, Melbourne had the highest percentage, at approximately 64%, closely followed by Hobart at 63%. Sydney and Brisbane recorded considerably lower figures, at around 61% and 56%, respectively. Adelaide had the lowest proportion of residents visiting cafés, at approximately 50%. Notably, the figures for instant coffee purchases and café visits in Adelaide were almost identical, at around 50%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the main trends and successfully selected and reported key features from the chart. Comparisons are made throughout, such as noting that café visits were the most popular activity in four cities and highlighting the specific case of Adelaide. The data is accurately represented, and the information is well-organized to support the summary. You have successfully identified the main features without getting lost in unnecessary detail, which is exactly what is required for a Band 8 performance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: the introduction/overview, fresh/instant coffee trends, and café visits. Cohesive devices such as 'By contrast', 'Looking first at', 'In terms of', and 'Turning to' are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the information flows smoothly from one point to the next. The use of referencing is clear, ensuring that the comparisons between cities remain easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision. Phrases like 'proportion of residents', 'recorded the highest figure', and 'stood at around' are used naturally. There is a good awareness of collocation, and you avoid repetitive phrasing by using a variety of verbs and nouns to describe the data. While the vocabulary is accurate and appropriate for the task, it stays within a standard range; incorporating a few more sophisticated or less common lexical items could elevate this further, but the current usage is highly effective and error-free.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response displays a wide range of grammatical structures with a high level of accuracy. You successfully use complex sentences, such as 'Adelaide was the only city where visiting a café was slightly less common than buying instant coffee,' and maintain control over punctuation and tense. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the few minor slips are non-systematic and do not impede communication. The use of participial phrases and comparative structures shows a strong command of English grammar suitable for an academic context.

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

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