Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-06

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 graph illustrates the percentage of coffee and tea buying and drinking habits of residents in last four weeks, in five Australian cities, namely, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart.

Overall, the percentage of residents who went to a cafe for coffee or tea remained considerably the highest, though it fluctuated in all five cities. There was seemingly an increase in people buying instant coffee whilst showing a decrease in fresh coffee consumption.

The percentage of city residents who went to a cafe was quite similar for Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart. Melbourne already led with 64%, with Hobart following at 63% and Sydney at 61%. The upward trend of drinking instant coffee and a decline in drinking fresh coffee was registered throughout the 4 weeks, with instant coffee starting at 45.5% in Sydney and peeking at 54% in Hobart. Fresh coffee begin near 44% in Sydney and dropped to its lowest around 34% in Brisbane, and recording a slight increase in Adelaide and Hobart.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the chart’s subject and give an overview, noting that café visits are generally highest and that instant coffee exceeds fresh coffee in most cities. However, the overview’s claim of an “increase” in instant coffee and a “decrease” in fresh coffee is not supported: the chart compares five cities, not changes over time. The report also omits important comparisons, especially the lower café figure in Adelaide and the fact that instant coffee is highest in Hobart while fresh coffee is highest in Sydney. Some figures are accurate, such as café visits in Melbourne, Hobart and Sydney, but the account is selective and the trends are sometimes unclear. Group the data by category and compare all five cities more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and a detail paragraph. This gives the reader a basic route through the information, and phrases such as “with Hobart following” help connect comparisons. However, the final paragraph moves between café attendance, instant coffee and fresh coffee without a clear organising principle. The repeated references to an “upward trend” and “decline” also make the progression confusing because the chart shows city-to-city differences, not change over time. Use separate, logically grouped comparisons—for example, café visits first, then the two coffee-purchasing categories—and use clear links such as “By contrast” where the figures differ.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a reasonably varied range of task-related vocabulary, including “percentage,” “fluctuated,” “led,” “following” and “registered,” and the meaning is generally clear. There is also some attempt at more formal reporting language. However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural for describing this chart: “coffee and tea buying and drinking habits” is awkward as a description of percentages, “drinking instant coffee” does not match the measure of buying it, and “peeking” is not the right verb for reaching a maximum. “Remained considerably the highest” is also an awkward collocation. More precise terms such as “proportion,” “purchased,” “reached a peak” and “was highest” would improve accuracy and naturalness.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex structures, including the overview clause beginning “though it fluctuated” and the comparison sentence about Melbourne, Hobart and Sydney. Most of the message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors and awkward constructions are present. For example, “residents in last four weeks” needs an article or a different structure, and “Fresh coffee begin near 44%” has an incorrect verb form. The final sentence, “and recording a slight increase,” is not grammatically parallel with the preceding clause. Check articles and verb forms, and make sure coordinated clauses share a clear grammatical structure. These corrections would make the comparisons easier to follow.

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