Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-26

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 illustrate the outcome of a survey about coffee and tea across three buying and drinking habits of Australians in last 4 weeks in five cities namely; Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobert.

Overall, while most Australian city residents prefer having coffee or tea in a cafe across four cities except Adelaide, buying fresh coffee is less famous among them. However, in Adelaide, consuming instant coffee is slightly more famous.

In Sydney, Melbourne and Hobert, 61%, 63% and 62% people respectively, went to a cafe for drinks in the last 4 week. Moreover, Brisbane accounts for 56% residents in this category of habit. However, Adelaide showed a difference with 49% residents preferring a cafe.

AI examiner evaluation

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 116 words, the analysis is incomplete. While you have identified some main features, you have completely omitted the data regarding 'fresh coffee' and 'instant coffee' buying habits, which were key components of the prompt. To achieve a higher band, you must ensure all parts of the task are addressed and that you provide a comprehensive overview of all data categories presented in the chart, rather than focusing only on the cafe-visiting data.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into an introduction, an overview, and one body paragraph. While there is a logical flow, the progression is hindered by the lack of a second body paragraph to cover the remaining data. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall', 'while', and 'however', but they are somewhat basic. The referencing is generally clear, though the structure feels incomplete due to the abrupt ending. To improve, ensure you group your data logically into at least two distinct body paragraphs and use a wider variety of linking words to connect your ideas more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands. You rely on repetitive phrasing, such as 'famous' to describe data trends, which is an incorrect collocation in this context (data is not 'famous'). You also use 'habit' repeatedly. To improve, you should use more precise academic vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'prevalent', 'popular', or 'common'. Additionally, ensure you use accurate terminology for data reporting, such as 'proportion' or 'percentage' rather than just repeating the numbers.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several grammatical errors that detract from the clarity of the writing. For example, 'The bar chart illustrate' should be 'illustrates' (subject-verb agreement), and 'in last 4 weeks' should be 'in the last 4 weeks'. You also have punctuation issues, such as the unnecessary semicolon after 'namely'. While you attempt some complex structures, the frequency of errors in basic grammar is noticeable. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and proofreading for minor slips that occur when attempting more complex sentence structures.

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

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