Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-21
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 the data from a survey related to the habits of people who drink and purchase tea and coffee in five different cities in Australia ( Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart).
Overall, people who went to a cafe for coffee or tea in the last 4 weeks have the highest rate in all cities, while the purchasing percentage of fresh coffee fluctuated, with a lower percentage in Brisbane. Whereas instant coffee remained almost steady in all places.
In Melbourne, the ratio of cafes for coffee and tea has the highest percentage, which is around 64%, followed by the lowest 49% in Adelaide.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. Because the response is only 106 words, the analysis is incomplete. While you have identified some main features, such as the cafe attendance rates, you have not provided a comprehensive overview of the data for all five cities or all three categories (fresh coffee, instant coffee, and cafe visits). The comparison between cities is underdeveloped, and the lack of sufficient detail means the task is only partially addressed. To improve, ensure you cover all categories provided in the chart and provide a more thorough comparison of the data points across all cities.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. There is a basic logical flow, and you have used some cohesive devices like 'Overall' and 'Whereas' to connect ideas. However, the progression is interrupted by the brevity of the text. The paragraphing is present, but the final paragraph is very short and lacks sufficient development to demonstrate a clear, logical progression of ideas. To improve, ensure that each paragraph contains enough information to fully support the points being made and use a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'illustrates', 'fluctuated', and 'purchasing percentage'. However, the range is limited, and there is some repetition of basic structures. You have attempted to use some topic-specific vocabulary, but the overall lexical range is not sufficient to demonstrate flexibility or precision. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more varied synonyms and precise collocations related to data description, such as 'a significant proportion', 'remained relatively stable', or 'a downward trend'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'people who went to a cafe... have the highest rate' (tense consistency) and 'the lowest 49% in Adelaide' (awkward phrasing). While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they indicate a lack of control over more complex sentence forms. To improve, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and refining the structure of your comparative sentences. Aim for more error-free sentences by proofreading for basic grammatical slips before finalizing your response.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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