Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

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

Overall, going to a café for coffee or tea was the most popular choice in four of the five cities, while buying fresh coffee was the least popular activity in every city. In addition, the proportion of people purchasing instant coffee was generally higher than that of those buying fresh coffee.

The highest percentages of café-goers were recorded in Melbourne and Hobart, at around 64% and 63% respectively. Sydney followed closely at approximately 61%. By contrast, the figures for Brisbane and Adelaide were lower, at about 55% and 50%.

As for instant coffee, the proportions ranged from 46% in Sydney to 54% in Hobart. Brisbane and Adelaide also showed relatively high figures, at around 53% and 50% respectively. Fresh coffee was less popular across all cities. Around 44% of Sydney residents and 43% of Melbourne residents bought fresh coffee, while the figures for Hobart, Brisbane, and Adelaide were lower, at approximately 38%, 34%, and 35% respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response7.5
Coherence and Cohesion7.5
Lexical Resource7.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy8.0
Overall7.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response successfully covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features and making relevant comparisons across the five Australian cities. The opening paragraph provides a clear introduction, and the overview effectively highlights the key trends, such as café visits being the most popular activity overall and fresh coffee being the least popular. Data is accurately selected and cited to support the descriptions, with figures like Melbourne and Hobart's café-goers (around 64% and 63%) and Sydney's fresh coffee consumption (44%) appropriately integrated. To achieve the highest band, the response could push further by weaving in more sophisticated synthesis of the data, rather than listing the figures city by city in the body paragraphs, ensuring an even deeper level of comparison.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The response demonstrates clear logical organization and progression throughout. Information is grouped logically by category and city, creating a smooth transition from the general overview to specific details about café-goers, instant coffee, and fresh coffee. Paragraphing is used effectively, with each paragraph serving a distinct purpose in the structure of the report. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'By contrast', and 'As for' are employed naturally to guide the reader through the data. To move closer to the highest standards, the essay could employ even more seamless, varied referencing and avoid minor formulaic transitions, ensuring cohesion feels entirely native and unobtrusive.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.5

The student uses a sufficient and appropriate range of vocabulary for the task, demonstrating flexibility and precision in describing statistical data. Phrases such as 'percentages of residents', 'proportion of people', and 'café-goers' show a good grasp of topic-specific language. Less common lexical items and phrasing, like 'followed closely' and 'relatively high figures', are integrated smoothly with an awareness of style. Word choice and spelling are accurate throughout, with no noticeable errors that impede communication. To attain an even higher band, the student could incorporate a wider variety of sophisticated, less common vocabulary and more nuanced collocation regarding statistical trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.0

The response exhibits an impressive control of grammar, with a wide range of complex sentence structures used accurately. The majority of sentences are completely error-free, showcasing complex noun phrases, subordinate clauses, and appropriate past tense forms for reporting survey results. Control over punctuation and prepositions within grammatical patterns is strong. Minor slips are virtually absent, placing the grammar at a very high standard of accuracy. To maintain this exceptional level consistently across longer responses, the student must continue ensuring that every single complex multi-clause sentence maintains absolute structural precision.

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