Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The bar chart illustrates buying and drinking habits of coffee and tea in five cities of Australia.
Overall, the fresh coffee bought in last 4 weeks was highest in Sydney and lowest in Brisbane. In addition instant coffee bought by people scales larger in Hobart and least in Sydney. Similarly the percentage of residents who went to cafe for coffee or tea was highest in Melbourne and lowest in Adelaide.
The bar chart shows that the approximately 63 % of people in Sydney and Hobart bought fresh coffee. Similarly over 50% of people in Brisbane and Hobart bought instant coffee in last 4 weeks.
The residents went to cafe for coffee or tea was least from fresh and instant coffee. However the coffee and tea from cafe was bought by approximately 43% residents of Sydney which was the highest and the least was rom the residents of Adelaide around 35%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the chart, such as identifying the highest and lowest values for the three categories. However, the reporting of data is inconsistent and contains inaccuracies. For instance, you state that 63% of people in Sydney and Hobart bought fresh coffee, but the chart shows different values for these cities. Additionally, the comparison of 'cafe' habits is confusingly phrased, and the data points cited for Adelaide and Sydney in the final paragraph do not align clearly with the visual information provided. To improve, ensure that data points are transcribed accurately and that comparisons are logically structured to highlight the most significant trends rather than just listing numbers.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate. For example, the transition 'Similarly' is used to introduce information that does not necessarily follow a similar trend, and the phrase 'The residents went to cafe' is grammatically disjointed, making the flow of ideas awkward. While there is an overall progression, the lack of precise linking words and the repetitive sentence structure hinder the logical flow. Improving the variety of cohesive devices and ensuring they are used to connect ideas meaningfully would enhance the coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. You rely on basic verbs like 'bought' and 'shows' repeatedly. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'scales larger' and 'least was rom the residents', which indicate a limited control of word choice. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to data description, such as 'proportion', 'fluctuated', 'accounted for', or 'predominant'. Expanding your range of synonyms and ensuring correct word formation will significantly improve the quality of your writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the fresh coffee bought in last 4 weeks was highest' (missing articles), 'the percentage of residents who went to cafe' (missing article), and 'the least was rom the residents' (spelling/preposition error). While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors—particularly with articles and prepositions—prevents the text from being considered error-free. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will help improve your grammatical accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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