Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-25

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 8.0)

The bar chart compares the percentages of residents in five Australian cities who bought fresh coffee, bought instant coffee, or visited a cafe for coffee or tea during the previous four weeks.

Overall, visiting a cafe was the most popular activity in four of the five cities, while buying fresh coffee was the least common choice in every city. In addition, the proportion of people purchasing instant coffee was generally higher than that of those buying fresh coffee.

Cafe attendance was highest in Melbourne, where just over 60% of residents had visited a cafe in the previous four weeks. Sydney followed closely at 60%, while the figures for Hobart and Brisbane were approximately 58% and 55%, respectively. Adelaide recorded the lowest percentage, at just under 50%.

With regard to coffee purchases, buying instant coffee was consistently more popular than buying fresh coffee. Around 50% of people in Brisbane purchased instant coffee, making it the highest figure among the five cities, followed by Hobart at about 49%. The proportions in Melbourne, Adelaide, and Sydney were approximately 46%, 45%, and 44%, respectively.

By contrast, fresh coffee attracted considerably fewer buyers. Around 44% of Sydney residents bought fresh coffee, compared with 43% in Melbourne. The figures were much lower in the remaining cities, standing at approximately 34% in Hobart, 34% in Brisbane, and 35% in Adelaide.

Taking everything into account, the survey indicates that Australians generally preferred drinking coffee or tea at cafés over purchasing coffee for home consumption, while instant coffee was consistently more popular than fresh coffee across the five cities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response is excellent and fully addresses all parts of the task. You have successfully identified the main features, such as the popularity of cafe visits compared to home consumption, and provided relevant comparisons across the five cities. The data is accurately reported, and the overview clearly highlights the key trends without simply listing figures. The information is well-selected and logically grouped, demonstrating a strong ability to synthesize data for an academic audience. No significant information is omitted, and the response is well-balanced.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving from an overview to specific details about cafe attendance, then to coffee purchases. Cohesive devices such as 'By contrast,' 'With regard to,' and 'In addition' are used effectively to link ideas and guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the referencing is clear throughout. The flow is natural, and the structure supports the reader's understanding of the data without any mechanical feel.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a wide and flexible range of vocabulary, which is used with precision. Phrases such as 'consistently more popular,' 'home consumption,' and 'recorded the lowest percentage' show a good command of academic register. There are no noticeable errors in word choice or collocation. The language is natural and sophisticated, allowing for a clear and concise presentation of the data. The use of vocabulary is well-suited to the task and contributes to the overall clarity and professional tone of the report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures with high accuracy. You use complex sentences effectively, such as 'Overall, visiting a cafe was the most popular activity in four of the five cities, while buying fresh coffee was the least common choice in every city.' The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled correctly. There is a good mix of simple and complex forms, and the control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout the text. The writing is fluent and error-free.

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