Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-04
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 percentage of city people buying coffee and tea and drinking habits across five Australian cities.
Overall, it is clear that people went to a cafe for coffee or tea in last 4 weeks made up the largest portion in 4 cities out of 5, while instant coffee buying people in last 4 weeks accounted for the second highest category. However, people who bought fresh coffee in last 4 weeks remained the lowest and fluctuated the amount across the cities.
In terms of people went to cafe for coffee or tea in last 4 weeks the amount was around 61% and 63% in Sydney and Melbourne respectively but declined the number in Brisbane and Adelaide at around 56% and 49% respectively.The number increased in Hobart at 63%. People who bought instant coffee in last 4 weeks, the portion increase across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane at above 45% to approximately 48% and 52% respectively. By contrast, the number decreased in Adelaide sharp at 50% remaining the highest proportion in the city, whereas in Hobart the amount rose to below 55%.
The percentage of residents in Sydney bought fresh coffee in last 4 weeks was about 43% which slightly greater than the Melbourne residents at around 42%. Followed by Brisbane and Adelaide the amount declined but remained the exact at around 34%. Approximately the number increased to 38% in
Hobart.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the three categories and comparing the five cities. You have successfully highlighted the main trends, such as the popularity of cafes in most cities and the lower figures for fresh coffee. However, the analysis is slightly hampered by imprecise language; for instance, stating that numbers 'declined the number' or 'remained the exact' is confusing. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are described with greater precision and that the comparisons between cities are more clearly articulated, rather than just listing figures sequentially.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices like 'Overall', 'In terms of', and 'By contrast' to guide the reader. However, the progression within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the link between the data and the cities becomes repetitive. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would enhance the flow of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'proportion', and 'fluctuated'. However, there are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation that occasionally impede clarity, such as 'buying people' instead of 'people who bought' or 'declined the number' instead of 'the number declined'. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, but it lacks the flexibility and precision required for a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb forms and sentence construction (e.g., 'people went to a cafe... made up', 'the portion increase', 'remained the exact'). These errors are noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding the data. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions when describing statistical trends.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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