Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-30
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 graph illustrates the percentage of people's drinking habits in five Australian cities. The cities included are Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Hobart, while the categories of drinking habits were fresh coffee, instant coffee, and went to a cafe.
Overall, it is evident that visiting a cafe was the most popular activity throughout the period, while Hobart and Melbourne had the highest percentage of residents, and Adelaide contained lowest percentage of citizens. Moreover, instant coffee is more frequently purchased compared to fresh coffee.
To begin with, in Sydney, approximately 44% of people bought fresh coffee, which is the highest percentage than other cities, whereas 45% of Residents purchased instant coffee, and roughly 61% of citizens went to a cafe over the last four weeks. Similarly, in Melbourne, about 63% of people visited cafe, although instant and fresh coffee customers almost remained same as in Sydney.
On the other hand, Brisbane and Adelaide showed relatively proportion of residents who went to a cafe around 55% and 49%, respectively. Hobart accounted for highest number of citizens who visited cafe to just over 60%, whereas people
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 is incomplete as it ends abruptly mid-sentence, which prevents a full overview of the data. While you successfully identified the main features and made some comparisons, the failure to finish the report significantly impacts the task achievement. You provided relevant data points for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Adelaide, but the lack of a conclusion and the unfinished description of Hobart mean that the task is not fully addressed. To improve, ensure you allocate enough time to complete your summary and provide a clear, concise overview of all data points presented in the chart.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, and there is a logical attempt to group the cities. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'To begin with', and 'On the other hand' to signal transitions. However, the abrupt ending disrupts the flow of the text. Referencing is generally clear, but the mechanical nature of some transitions and the incomplete final paragraph limit the overall coherence. To reach a higher band, ensure that your ideas are fully developed within each paragraph and that the text concludes in a way that provides a sense of closure.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'percentage', 'residents', and 'frequently'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'contained lowest percentage' (should be 'had the lowest percentage') and 'relatively proportion' (should be 'a relatively similar proportion'). The vocabulary is functional but lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more sophisticated collocations and ensuring that your word choices are grammatically appropriate for the context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally hinder the reader. Examples include 'highest percentage than other cities' (should be 'higher percentage than in other cities') and 'visited cafe' (missing an article). Additionally, there are issues with subject-verb agreement and preposition usage. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for articles, prepositions, and comparative structures to improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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