Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-16

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)

The bar chart illustrates the results of a survey conducted in five cities of Australia about the Australians coffee and tea buying and drinking habits, measured in percentage, in the previous month.

Overall, high percentage of residents of Melbourne went to cafe in the last month. People in all five cities of Australia preferred drinking instant coffee than fresh coffee in last four weeks.

About 63% residents of Melbourne went to cafe last month showing the highest interest as compared to residents of other cities. This trend is followed by the people in Hobart and Sydney with 62 and 61 percentafe

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the chart’s subject and report some relevant comparisons, including Melbourne at about 63% for café visits and Hobart and Sydney at roughly 63% and 61%. You also correctly note that instant coffee purchases exceeded fresh coffee purchases in every city. However, the response is incomplete: it gives no figures or comparisons for Brisbane and Adelaide, and does not report the fresh- and instant-coffee data in detail. The overview is also too broad to capture the main pattern across all three categories. The response contains 101 words, below the required 150, which contributes to the limited coverage. Develop the summary with the key highs and lows for each activity and a fuller overview.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph with specific café figures. This gives the reader a basic route through the information, and phrases such as “Overall” and “This trend is followed by” attempt to connect ideas. However, the progression stops abruptly after the café comparison, leaving the other chart categories unorganised and unreported. The final sentence is also unfinished (“62 and 61 percentafe”), which disrupts the flow and makes the comparison difficult to read. Use separate, balanced paragraphs for the overview and the main comparisons, and ensure each paragraph develops a complete point. More precise linking between categories would make the organisation clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “survey,” “percentage,” “residents,” and “highest interest,” so the topic is generally clear. There is also some attempt to vary wording through “went to cafe” and “drinking instant coffee.” However, several phrases are awkward or inaccurate, such as “the Australians coffee and tea buying and drinking habits” and “high percentage of residents”; these reduce naturalness and precision. “Percentafe” appears to be a typing or spelling error that makes the end of the final comparison unclear. Aim for accurate collocations and concise chart language, for example, “residents’ coffee and tea habits” and “a high proportion of residents.” Check spelling and word forms carefully before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You produce several understandable simple sentences and attempt a more complex comparison with “showing the highest interest as compared to…”. The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but grammatical control is uneven. For example, “About 63% residents” needs an article or possessive construction, and “high percentage of residents” also requires “a.” In “People in all five cities of Australia preferred drinking instant coffee than fresh coffee,” the comparison pattern is incorrect; use “preferred instant coffee to fresh coffee.” The final sentence is incomplete and lacks a clear grammatical ending. Most structures are simple, with limited accurate variety. Practise article use and comparative patterns, then proofread each sentence to ensure it is complete.

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