Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-09

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 bar chart shows the results of a survey about the coffee and tea buying and drinking habits of people in five cities in Australia, namely Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart.

Overall, it can be seen that going to a café for coffee or tea was the most popular activity in most cities. On the other hand, buying fresh coffee was generally the least popular choice.

In Sydney, about 44% of people bought fresh coffee, while around 46% bought instant coffee. The highest figure was for people who went to a café, at approximately 61%. In Melbourne, the percentage of people buying fresh coffee was about 43%, compared with 48% for instant coffee. Around 63% went to a café.

In Brisbane, about 35% of people bought fresh coffee, which was the lowest figure among the five cities. However, about 53% bought instant coffee and 56% went to a café. In Adelaide, buying fresh coffee and going to a café were both around 35% and 50% respectively, while instant coffee was also about 50%.

Finally, Hobart had about 39% of people buying fresh coffee. Around 55% bought instant coffee, and approximately 63% went to a café. Therefore, Hobart and Melbourne had the highest percentage of people going to cafés.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the data and provided a clear overview. You covered all five cities and the three categories (fresh coffee, instant coffee, and café visits). The data is accurately reported, and you have made relevant comparisons, such as noting that Hobart and Melbourne had the highest café attendance. To reach a higher band, ensure that you consistently highlight the most significant trends or anomalies across the entire dataset rather than listing city-by-city data in a way that feels slightly mechanical. Overall, the response is well-structured and fulfills the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group the information by city. The use of cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'However', and 'Finally' helps the reader follow the progression of your argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different aspects of the data. To improve further, try to vary your linking phrases and ensure that the transition between sentences is even smoother, avoiding a repetitive structure where each sentence begins with a location or a percentage.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information accurately. Terms like 'namely', 'percentage', 'figure', and 'approximately' are used correctly. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, though some phrasing remains quite standard. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'buying' or 'going to a café' to avoid repetition. For example, using terms like 'patronizing cafés' or 'purchasing habits' would demonstrate a more sophisticated control of lexical items.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

Your grammar is generally accurate, and you have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most of your sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is handled well. There is a good use of comparative structures, such as 'while around 46% bought instant coffee'. To reach a higher band, aim to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as passive voice constructions or participle clauses, to describe the data trends more dynamically. The current control is solid, but more variety would enhance the overall quality.

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

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