Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-05

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 4.0)

From that chart we can see that people from sydney bought fresh coffee in last 4 weeks 44% and bought instant coffee in last 4 weeks 45% also went to cafe for coffee or tea in last 4 weeks 60%,

again from melbourne bought fresh coffee in last 4 weeks 42% and bought instant coffee in last 4 weeks 47%% also went to cafe for coffee or tea in last 4 weeks 64%,

another from brisbane bought fresh coffee in last 4 weeks 34% and bought instant coffee in last 4 weeks 53% also went to cafe for coffee or tea in last 4 weeks 56%,

also from Adelaide bought fresh coffee in last 4 weeks 34% and bought instant coffee in last 4 weeks 50% also went to cafe for coffee or tea in last 4 weeks 49%,

Lastly from Hobart bought fresh coffee in last 4 weeks 38% and bought instant coffee in last 4 weeks 54% also went to cafe for coffee or tea in last 4 weeks 63%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to provide an overview or identify key trends, which is essential for a Band 6 or higher. Instead, it presents a mechanical, list-like recitation of data for each city. While all cities are mentioned, the lack of synthesis or comparison means the response does not 'summarise' the information as requested. There is no attempt to group data or highlight the highest/lowest figures across the categories. To improve, you must look for patterns (e.g., which city had the highest cafe attendance?) and write an introductory overview that captures the main features of the data rather than just listing every individual statistic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The response is essentially one long, run-on sentence structure broken by commas. There is no paragraphing, and the text lacks logical progression or cohesive devices to link ideas. The repetitive use of 'also' and 'and' creates a monotonous flow that makes the text difficult to read. To improve, you should organize your report into clear paragraphs: an introduction, an overview of the main trends, and two body paragraphs grouping the data logically. Use transition words like 'In contrast,' 'Furthermore,' or 'Meanwhile' to connect your sentences and improve the overall flow of information.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary is extremely limited and repetitive. You use the exact same phrases—'bought fresh coffee in last 4 weeks' and 'went to cafe for coffee or tea in last 4 weeks'—repeatedly throughout the text. This lack of variety prevents you from demonstrating a range of vocabulary. To achieve a higher score, you need to use synonyms and varied sentence structures to describe the data. For example, instead of repeating the full phrase, you could use 'the figure for,' 'the percentage of people,' or 'the proportion of residents.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The grammar is significantly flawed, characterized by a lack of proper sentence boundaries. The entire response is a series of clauses joined by commas, which is grammatically incorrect. There is a lack of subject-verb agreement and missing articles (e.g., 'from sydney' should be 'in Sydney'). The structure is entirely simple and repetitive, with no attempt at complex sentences. To improve, focus on using full stops to separate distinct ideas and ensure that each sentence has a clear subject and verb. You should also practice using prepositions and articles correctly to improve the accuracy of your writing.

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

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