Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-14

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 5.0)

The bar chart compares the percentage of residents coffee and tea buying and drinking habits in five cities in Australia.

Overall, went to a cafe for coffee or tea in last 4 weeks was most popular activity in Sydney, whereas buying coffee in Melbourne, Brisbane and Hobart was more common than Adelaide. Buying coffee was most common in all Australian cities.

The percentage of city residents who bought fresh coffee in last 4 week was least in Brisbane was 34 % whereas the most popular activity was went to a cafe for coffee or tea in last 4 weeks was in Melbourne . The percentage of city residents who bought instant coffee in last 4 weeks remained lower in all cities accept Adelaide to 50 percent.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you have attempted to identify some main features, the analysis is superficial and lacks the necessary detail to fully address the prompt. You have missed several key comparisons between the five cities, and the data reporting is inconsistent. To improve, ensure you provide a more comprehensive overview of all data points and include specific figures to support your observations. The current length prevents a full development of the task, leading to a fragmented summary that does not adequately cover all parts of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive start. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'The percentage of city residents'. Transitions between sentences are often abrupt, making the flow of information feel unnatural. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and phrases (e.g., 'in contrast', 'conversely', 'furthermore') to connect your ideas more fluidly. Additionally, ensure that your referencing is clear so the reader can easily follow the comparisons being made between the different cities.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is generally basic and repetitive. You rely heavily on the words provided in the prompt, such as 'percentage', 'residents', and 'buying'. There is little evidence of a range of vocabulary that would allow for more precise or sophisticated descriptions of the data. For instance, instead of repeating 'most popular' or 'most common', you could use synonyms like 'predominant', 'prevalent', or 'highest proportion'. To reach a higher band, focus on incorporating more varied and precise terminology related to data analysis, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'remained stable'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that impede clarity. Examples include 'went to a cafe... was most popular activity' (missing subject/verb agreement) and 'accept Adelaide to 50 percent' (incorrect word choice and preposition usage). The sentence structures are largely simple, and attempts at more complex sentences are often marred by errors in syntax. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, particularly subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions. Proofreading for these common errors will help ensure that your meaning is conveyed accurately to the reader.

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

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