Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-29

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 6.5)

The graph illustrates the coffee and tea purchasing and consumption habits of people in five Australian cities.

Overall, most of the people preferred drinking coffee or tea from a cafe, while buying fresh coffee was least common. Melbourne and Hobart had the highest proportions of cafe visitors, whereas instant coffee was popular in Brisbane and Adelaide.

Cafe visits were particularly common in Melbourne and Hobart recording around 64% and 63% respectively. Sydney followed at around 61%, while the figures of Brisbane and Adelaide were lower, at 56% and 49% respectively. Thus, the difference between the highest and lowest proportions were close, at roughly 9 percentage.

Instant coffee was more popular than fresh coffee in every city. Hobart had the highest proportion of instant coffee buyers at approximately 54% followed Brisbane at 53%. The figures of Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney were around 50%, 48% and 46%. Fresh coffee, was purchased by a small proportion of people, with Sydney recording the highest at around 44%. Melbourne followed close which was at 43% while Brisbane, Adelaide stood around the same which is 34% and which was the lowest and Hobart around 38%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by summarizing the main features of the data. You have identified the key trends, such as the preference for cafe visits and the popularity of instant coffee over fresh coffee. Comparisons are made throughout, which is a requirement for this task. However, the analysis could be improved by ensuring the data points are consistently accurate and by providing a more cohesive synthesis of the data rather than listing figures city by city. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the main trends observed in the chart.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group the data by category. Cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'while', and 'followed by' are used to link ideas effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different categories of data. However, some transitions between sentences feel slightly mechanical, and the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking phrases to connect the comparisons more fluidly. Overall, the progression of information is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the data, including terms like 'proportions', 'purchasing', and 'consumption habits'. There are some minor inaccuracies in collocation, such as 'the difference... were close, at roughly 9 percentage', where 'percentage points' would be more precise. Additionally, phrases like 'followed Brisbane at 53%' are slightly awkward and could be more naturally phrased as 'followed by Brisbane at 53%'. While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, incorporating more sophisticated synonyms for 'high' or 'low' would enhance the lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical slips, such as 'the figures of Brisbane and Adelaide were lower', where 'figures for' would be more appropriate. You also have some punctuation errors, such as the unnecessary comma in 'Fresh coffee, was purchased' and issues with sentence fragments like 'Melbourne followed close which was at 43%'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage will help improve your accuracy.

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

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