Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-17
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 given bar graph shows about how often Australian people purchase and consume coffee as well as tea in five different cities.
Overall, in last one month major portion of population from all the cities except Adelaide prefer to go to a cafe for a drink instead of buying fresh and instant coffee.
Firstly, an average 40 percent of people from all the metro towns such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart like to get fresh coffee .Secondly, percentage of individuals who bought instant coffee is slightly more than fresh coffee buyers which is in between approximately 45 to 55 percent.
Moreover, Adelaide is the only city out of all five city where least percent of people go to a cafe for tea which is around 40 percent. Also, that number is lower than instant and fresh coffee buyers in that city Rest of the cities have more percentage of people who would prefer coffee shop for a drink.
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 addresses the task by summarizing the main features of the survey. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial and lacks precision. For instance, the statement that 'an average 40 percent' of people buy fresh coffee is a generalization that does not accurately reflect the specific data points for each city. Furthermore, the comparison between instant and fresh coffee is vague, using ranges like '45 to 55 percent' rather than identifying specific trends or outliers clearly. To reach a higher band, you should focus on selecting key data points and making more accurate comparisons between the cities rather than grouping them together in a way that obscures the actual findings.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized 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 'Secondly' is used to introduce a point that is not clearly linked to the previous sentence. The referencing is also occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'that number is lower than instant and fresh coffee buyers in that city', where the antecedent is slightly ambiguous. Improving the flow between sentences and using a wider variety of linking words would enhance the logical progression of your ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. You rely on basic terms like 'major portion', 'get', and 'like to'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'metro towns' instead of 'metropolitan areas' or 'cities'. While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and there is little evidence of less common lexical items or sophisticated phrasing. To improve, try to incorporate more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'proportion', 'significant', 'predominant', or 'fluctuate'.
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 distract the reader. Examples include 'in last one month' (missing article), 'five city' (should be plural 'cities'), and 'least percent of people' (should be 'the lowest percentage'). There are also issues with punctuation and article usage throughout the text. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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