Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-24

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 7.5)

The bar chart compares the percentages of residents in five Australian cities who bought fresh coffee, bought instant coffee, or visited a cafe for coffee or tea during the previous four weeks.

Overall, Melbourne and Hobart showed the highest consumption of cafe coffee and tea over the four-week period, while Brisbane and Adelaide had the lowest fresh coffee purchases during the same time.

Melbourne and Hobart showed the highest consumption, with approximately 64% of residents visiting cafes. Sydney stood at just over 60%, while Brisbane had moderate consumption at 55%. However, Adelaide recorded the lowest at 50%, indicating the highest and lowest consumers. This variation suggests that cafe culture is most popular in Melbourne and Hobart, while Adelaide prefers purchasing instant coffee.

In contrast to cafe consumption, Sydney residents dominated the fresh coffee purchases, with 44% of residents buying this coffee during the four-week period. Melbourne followed Sydney at 43%, with both eastern cities showing a preference for fresh coffee over other Australian cities. Although Brisbane's 34% showed minimal engagement with fresh coffee, Adelaide and Hobart recorded similarly low consumption at 35% to 39%, indicating southern cities prioritize cafe visits over home-prepared options.

On the other hand, Adelaide and Brisbane exhibited comparable pre-packaged coffee purchases at 50% to 53%, whereas Hobart significantly outpaced both at 55%. Sydney and Melbourne fell short at 45% and 49% respectively, indicating the lowest rates of the instant coffee.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The student provides a clear overview and successfully reports the main features and comparisons from the chart. All three categories—fresh coffee, instant coffee, and café visits—across the five cities are addressed, with accurate figures cited (e.g., Sydney at 44% for fresh coffee and 61% for café visits). The comparisons made are logical and well-grounded in the visual data, such as contrasting café culture in Melbourne and Hobart with instant coffee preferences in Adelaide. The response fully satisfies the requirements of Task Achievement at a high level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

Ideas are logically sequenced, and the information flows smoothly from an introductory overview into well-structured body paragraphs categorized by consumption habits. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate café visits from fresh and instant coffee purchases. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast to', 'Although', and 'On the other hand' are managed effectively to guide the reader through comparisons, resulting in clear progression throughout the response.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses a sufficient and natural range of vocabulary suitable for an Academic Task 1 response, including terms such as 'consumption', 'exhibited comparable', and 'significantly outpaced'. There is good control of less common vocabulary ('dominate', 'engagement', 'pre-packaged coffee'), and word choices are generally accurate. While there is a slight slip in the final sentence ('lowest rates of the instant coffee'), it does not impede communication and reflects Band 7 performance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

A good variety of complex structures is employed throughout the text, including participial phrases and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'while Brisbane and Adelaide had the lowest fresh coffee purchases during the same time'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and control of grammar and punctuation is strong. Minor awkwardness occurs occasionally, but errors are rare and non-systematic, supporting a solid Band 8 score.

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

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