Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)
In recent years, this topic has become widely discussed around the world. Nowadays, many people are concerned about this topic. This is an important topic because it is discussed in society in different ways.
Looking at the chart, the percentage od city residents in Sydney is approximately upto 60%. Meanwhile, the percentage of city residents of Brisbane has 55%. In contrast, the percentage of city residents of Adelaide remained stable at 50%. Meanwhile, the percentage of city residents of Hobart has the highest value.
The process consists of several stages. Initially, the percentage of bought fresh coffee in last 4 weeks has approximately 45%. While in comparison to Brisbane. it has lowest percentage that is 35%. Secondly, the percentage of bought instant coffee in last 4 weeks has approximately upto 45%. While in comparison to Brisbane, it has the lowest percentage that is 55%. Thirdly, the percentage of went to a cafe for coffee or tea in last 4 weeks has approximately upto 60%.While in comparison to Brisbane, it has the lowest percentage that is 55%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 3.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5
The response achieves a minimal level of task completion, but it contains significant weaknesses in addressing the prompt. The introductory paragraph consists entirely of memorised, irrelevant template sentences ('In recent years, this topic has become widely discussed...') that fail to introduce the actual chart. Furthermore, the writer fundamentally misunderstands the nature of an Academic Task 1 report, attempting to describe the data as a sequential 'process' with stages ('Initially... Secondly... Thirdly...'). While some data points from the chart are mentioned, the reporting is confused, inaccurate in places, and lacks a coherent overview of the main trends. To improve, the student must abandon memorised templates, correctly identify that the chart displays categorical survey results rather than a process, and select key features for comparison.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0
The organisation of the response is heavily flawed, placing the writing at a lower band. Although paragraph breaks are used, the logical progression breaks down because the writer attempts to treat statistical bar charts as chronological stages using sequential connectors like 'Initially', 'Secondly', and 'Thirdly'. Cohesive devices within sentences are mechanical and often misused, such as repetitive use of 'Meanwhile' and 'While in comparison to Brisbane'. Referencing is also unclear, with phrases like 'it has the lowest percentage that is 55%' failing to clearly indicate which category or data point is being discussed. To reach a higher standard, the writer needs to group related data logically, use appropriate cohesive devices for comparison rather than time sequence, and ensure clear referencing throughout.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is limited and repetitive, though it is just adequate for the basic task. The student relies heavily on basic phrasing such as 'percentage of city residents', 'highest value', and 'lowest percentage'. There are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward collocations, such as 'percentage of bought fresh coffee in last 4 weeks has approximately 45%', where grammatical structures and lexical choices are awkwardly blended. Spelling is generally acceptable, but the lack of varied vocabulary and precision restricts the score. To improve, the writer should incorporate a wider range of synonyms and precise reporting verbs and nouns, avoiding the clumsy repetition of basic terms across sentences.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The grammatical range is severely limited, consisting mainly of simple structures and repetitive templates ('the percentage of... has...'). There are frequent errors in grammar and sentence construction throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('the percentage of city residents of Brisbane has 55%') and awkward prepositional phrases ('percentage of bought fresh coffee'). Furthermore, punctuation and sentence boundaries show weakness, with fragments like 'While in comparison to Brisbane. it has lowest percentage' and missing commas. Attempts at complex clauses are faulty and often result in ungrammatical strings. To achieve a higher band, the student must demonstrate better control over basic clause structures, eliminate frequent structural errors, and use a greater variety of complex sentences accurately.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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