Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-19

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 rendered bar graph depicts the information about the outcome of the survey about individuals coffee and tea purchasing and consuming habits in five cities of Australia.

Overall, maximum amount of residents of Melbourne went to a cafe for coffee and tea , while minimum people prefer took fresh coffee in Brisbane during last 4 weeks.

In detail, Sydney people recorded 60 percent of went to cafe for tea or coffee, while percentage of bought instant coffee was reduced with 15% . The percentage of bought fresh coffee was just below the 45% . Melbourne stood at 43 % in purchasing fresh coffee or tea and there was only 5% difference between instant coffee. The individual went to cafe was the maximum amount which was 64 % .

In case of Brisbane, it given the minimum percentage of fresh coffee. Interestingly, almost the same percentage of bought instant coffee or went to cafe for taking tea or coffee.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the data, such as the highest and lowest figures, and makes some comparisons. However, the reporting is inconsistent. While the overview identifies the highest and lowest points, the body paragraphs lack a systematic approach to describing the data, leading to some confusion. For instance, the description of Sydney's data is fragmented, and the comparison between cities is not fully developed. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are clearly linked to the correct categories and that the comparison between the five cities is more structured and comprehensive.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs, which provides a basic structure. However, the progression of ideas is often disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical or misused, such as 'In detail' and 'In case of'. Referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the different categories of coffee and tea habits. Improved use of linking words and clearer paragraph transitions would significantly enhance the flow of the information.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'maximum amount of residents' instead of 'the highest proportion of residents' and 'prefer took fresh coffee' which is grammatically incorrect. The range of vocabulary is limited, often repeating the same terms like 'percentage' and 'bought'. To improve, you should focus on using more precise terminology for describing trends and data, such as 'proportion', 'figure', 'accounted for', or 'experienced a decline'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'percentage of bought instant coffee was reduced with 15%' (should be 'by 15%') and 'The individual went to cafe was the maximum amount'. Subject-verb agreement and preposition usage are inconsistent throughout the text. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and correct prepositional phrases.

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

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