Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-01

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 6.0)

The bar chart illustrates the results of a survey on people's coffee and tea buying and drinking habits across five Australian cities, namely Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Hobart.

Overall, it is evident that the figures varied considerably across the categories, with some recording substantially higher figures, while another registered the lowest proportion. Hobart recorded the greatest proportion of people who went to a cafe for coffee or tea, whereas Sydney accounted for the lowest proportion of people who bought instant coffee in the last four weeks. Meanwhile, Brisbane and Adelaide both remained relatively similar in the last four weeks.

Looking at the details, in the last four weeks, Sydney's and Melbourne's proportions of people who bought fresh coffee were both reported at approximately 41%. Afterwards, Brisbane and Adelaide both remained relatively the same at roughly 35% in the last 4 weeks. However, Hobart's proportion of people who bought fresh coffee constituted the second-highest figure in the last four weeks. Furthermore, Hobart's proportion of people who bought instant coffee accounted for the highest figure at nearly 53% in the last 4 weeks, after which Sydney represented the lowest proportion at slightly below 41% in the last four weeks.

Looking most closely at the data, in the last 4 weeks, the proportions in Melbourne and Hobart of people who went to a cafe for coffee or tea both had the greatest proportion at just over 62%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses the task only partially and contains notable data misinterpretations, which keeps the score at this level. While the introduction accurately outlines the scope of the chart, the overview is vague and fails to clearly highlight the most significant trends, such as the overall dominance of café visits compared to buying instant or fresh coffee. Furthermore, the body paragraphs contain several inaccurate readings of the chart's data. For instance, the student states that Sydney's and Melbourne's fresh coffee proportions were approximately 41%, whereas the actual figures are 44% and 42.5%. Additionally, claims regarding Hobart and Sydney having the highest and lowest instant coffee proportions do not accurately reflect the figures (Hobart is around 54.5% and Sydney 45.5%, but the student confuses these with other values or misreads the axes). Ideas are presented, but they lack precise data support and fail to fully report all main features.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement and attempts to organise information logically, though progression is sometimes hindered by mechanical referencing and repetitive phrasing. Paragraphing is used to separate the introduction, general overview, and detailed body sections, meeting the baseline requirements for structured writing. However, cohesive devices are sometimes handled awkwardly or repetitively, such as the constant use of 'in the last four weeks' and 'both remained relatively similar'. While referencing is generally understandable, the flow between sentences can feel disjointed due to sudden shifts in focus without smooth transitional markers. To reach the next band, the student needs to ensure clearer logical progression between ideas and a more flexible, less repetitive use of cohesive devices to guide the reader effortlessly through the data comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, successfully conveying basic comparisons and categories, which places the response in the mid-range. The student demonstrates an attempt to use less common vocabulary and appropriate topic-specific terms such as 'proportion', 'illustrates', and 'categories'. However, there are noticeable inaccuracies in word choice and imprecise data reporting that prevent a higher score, alongside minor awkwardness in collocation. For instance, phrases like 'the figures varied considerably across the categories, with some recording substantially higher figures, while another registered the lowest proportion' are overly generic and lack lexical precision. Spelling and word-form errors are minimal and do not impede communication, showing a solid foundation that can be elevated by incorporating more sophisticated, precise reporting verbs and adjectives.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The writing exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, demonstrating a comfortable command of basic sentence patterns. The student successfully constructs complex sentences, such as 'Hobart recorded the greatest proportion of people who went to a cafe for coffee or tea, whereas Sydney accounted for the lowest proportion...' There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, but they occur infrequently and rarely impede communication. Minor slips involve prepositional phrasing or slight awkwardness in clause integration, but control over verb tenses for describing static survey data is generally maintained. To achieve a higher band, the student should aim to produce a greater variety of error-free complex sentences and refine punctuation to enhance overall grammatical fluency.

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

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