Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-12

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 5.5)

Given graph illustrates the outcome of a survey based on last 4 weeks showing a preferences of people in five different Australian cities according to habits of buying and drinking coffee and tea.

Overall, the survey spans around people of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart. There are three major patterns observed across all these cities where of people choose to visit cafe for coffee or tea substantially. Whereas, least amount of people prefered to buy fresh coffee over a period of 4 weeks.

Apparently, going out to a cafe for coffee or tea was very popular trend among recidents with Melbourne and Hobart leading signifiantly. In contrast, least number of people favoured to buy fresh coffee in last 4 weeks, Brisbane and Adelaide were the least keen among all. Moreover, many of the city residents had a second prefernce of buying instant coffee across all five cities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main broad pattern—that café visits were popular and fresh coffee was generally less popular—and correctly note that Brisbane and Adelaide had the lowest fresh-coffee figures. However, the report is only a partial summary: it gives no figures and makes few precise comparisons, so key differences between cities are not demonstrated. The claim that Melbourne and Hobart led café visits is broadly right, but Sydney is also relatively high, and the response does not report that Adelaide had the lowest café attendance. The overview also says “least amount” preferred fresh coffee, which is too general without clarifying that this varies by city. The response is two words below the required minimum. Include an overview supported by selected figures and comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph describing the main patterns. This gives the reader a basic route through the information. However, progression is limited because the final paragraph largely repeats the overview rather than developing it with city-by-city comparisons or figures. Some linking is also awkward or unclear, particularly “There are three major patterns observed across all these cities where of people choose to visit cafe,” and the opening “Whereas” fragment does not connect smoothly to a complete contrasting clause. Use a clearer sequence—overview first, then grouped comparisons—and make each linking expression connect complete, logically related ideas.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “survey,” “residents,” “leading,” “favoured,” and “instant coffee,” and the reader can generally understand the intended comparisons. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural: “spans around people” does not express the survey’s coverage, “least amount of people” is unsuitable for countable residents, and “second preference” is not a precise way to describe the instant-coffee results. Spelling errors such as “prefered,” “recidents,” “signifiantly,” and “prefernce” are noticeable. Aim for accurate, straightforward phrases such as “surveyed residents,” “the lowest proportion,” and “the next most common choice,” and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of sentence forms, including an introductory clause and contrastive structures, and the main message is usually recoverable. However, control is uneven, especially in longer sentences. For example, “Given graph illustrates the outcome … showing a preferences” has missing or incorrect articles and number agreement, while “There are three major patterns … where of people choose” is structurally incomplete. “Whereas, least amount of people prefered…” is also a fragment rather than a complete contrast. The response relies heavily on broad, simple statements and does not consistently form accurate complex sentences. Practise complete clauses with clear subjects and verbs, and check articles, singular/plural agreement, and punctuation when joining contrasting ideas.

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