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Task 1 Band 7.5

Cambridge IELTS 15 Academic Writing Test 1 Task 1 Band 7.5 Model Answer

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Write at least 150 words.
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.

The bar chart illustrates the results of a survey conducted in five Australian cities—Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Hobart—regarding residents' coffee and tea consumption habits over the preceding four weeks, categorised into three distinct behaviours: buying fresh coffee, purchasing instant coffee, and visiting a café for coffee or tea.

Overall, visiting a café for coffee or tea was the most popular activity across all five cities, while purchasing instant coffee was generally more common than buying fresh coffee, with some notable exceptions.

In terms of café visits, Hobart recorded the highest proportion, with just over 60% of respondents reporting having visited a café for coffee or tea in the previous month. Sydney and Melbourne followed closely, both at around 60%, while Brisbane and Adelaide had slightly lower figures, at approximately 55% and 50% respectively.

Regarding instant coffee consumption, this habit was most prevalent in Adelaide and Brisbane, where approximately 55% of respondents had purchased instant coffee. Melbourne and Hobart showed similar levels, at around 50%, while Sydney had the lowest proportion, at roughly 45%. Interestingly, Sydney, which had the lowest instant coffee consumption, recorded the highest percentage for fresh coffee purchases, at nearly 45%. In contrast, Adelaide and Brisbane, where instant coffee was most popular, reported the lowest fresh coffee buying rates, at approximately 35% each.

It is also worth noting that fresh coffee purchases were consistently the least common activity in four of the five cities, with the only exception being Sydney, where the figure was comparable to instant coffee consumption. Melbourne and Hobart showed relatively balanced patterns across all three categories, whereas Adelaide and Brisbane exhibited a clearer preference for instant coffee over fresh coffee.


Why this answer scores Band 7.5:

CriteriaHow the sample meets Band 7.5 requirements
Task AchievementFully addresses all data points and categories. Provides a clear overview and makes relevant comparisons across cities and behaviours. Highlights exceptions and trends effectively.
Coherence & CohesionExcellent paragraph structure: introduction → overview → body paragraphs with logical grouping. Uses a wide range of cohesive devices naturally: Overall, In terms of, Regarding, Interestingly, In contrast, It is also worth noting.
Lexical ResourceWide range of precise vocabulary: illustrates, conducted, preceding, categorised into distinct behaviours, prevalent, comparable, exhibited, consistently. Avoids repetition of basic terms. Uses appropriate synonyms for "percentage" (proportion, figure, rate, level).
Grammatical Range & AccuracyWide variety of complex structures: relative clauses (which had the lowest...), participle phrases (regarding residents' coffee...), comparative structures (more common than, comparable to, approximately), and passive voice (were reported, was recorded). Virtually no errors.

What pushes this to Band 7.5 (compared to Band 7.0):

AspectBand 7.0Band 7.5 (this sample)
OverviewBasic summaryInsightful summary with clear ranking (most popular, generally more common, with exceptions)
Data groupingDescribes each city sequentiallyGroups logically (café visits together, instant coffee together, fresh coffee together)
ComparisonsSimple comparisonsSophisticated comparisons (Adelaide and Brisbane showed a clearer preference for instant coffee over fresh coffee)
VocabularyGood rangeWider range with precision (prevalent, comparable, exhibited, consistently)
GrammarGood controlConfident use of varied structures

Key features of Band 7.5+ Task 1 demonstrated:

1. Strong overview with ranking:

"Overall, visiting a café for coffee or tea was the most popular activity across all five cities, while purchasing instant coffee was generally more common than buying fresh coffee, with some notable exceptions."

2. Logical grouping of data:
Instead of describing Sydney, then Melbourne, then Brisbane, etc., the essay groups by behaviour type:

  • Café visits (all five cities)

  • Instant coffee (all five cities)

  • Fresh coffee (all five cities with comparisons)

3. Sophisticated comparisons:

"Interestingly, Sydney, which had the lowest instant coffee consumption, recorded the highest percentage for fresh coffee purchases, at nearly 45%." (Shows contrast clearly)

4. Identifying patterns and exceptions:

"It is also worth noting that fresh coffee purchases were consistently the least common activity in four of the five cities, with the only exception being Sydney..."

5. Precise data language:

  • approximately (not just "about")

  • recorded the highest proportion

  • followed closely

  • slightly lower figures


Quick checklist for Band 7.5+ Task 1:

  • Clear introduction paraphrasing the task

  • Strong overview paragraph highlighting key trends

  • Logical grouping of data (not just listing)

  • Accurate data reporting with approximations

  • Relevant comparisons across categories

  • Identification of exceptions and patterns

  • Wide range of precise vocabulary

  • Complex sentence structures used naturally

  • Virtually no grammatical errors

  • At least 170-190 words


Comparison: Band 6.5 vs 7.5 (same task)

AspectBand 6.5Band 7.5 (this sample)
Overview"The chart shows coffee habits in five cities.""Overall, visiting a café... was the most popular activity, while purchasing instant coffee was generally more common than buying fresh coffee, with some notable exceptions."
Data description"Sydney had 45% for fresh coffee.""Sydney... recorded the highest percentage for fresh coffee purchases, at nearly 45%."
Comparisons"Brisbane was lower than Melbourne.""Brisbane and Adelaide showed similar levels, at around 50%, while Sydney had the lowest proportion, at roughly 45%."
Vocabularyshow, have, aboutillustrates, recorded, exhibited, prevalent, consistently, comparable
GrammarSimple sentencesComplex sentences with multiple clauses

Additional tips for Band 7.5+ in Task 1:

  1. Use a range of approximation language:

    • approximately, around, roughly, nearly, just over, just under, slightly more than

  2. Vary reporting structures:

    • The chart illustrates / It is evident that / Interestingly, / According to the data

  3. Use comparative forms effectively:

    • more common than, comparable to, similar to, followed by, in contrast to

  4. Identify the most significant features:

    • The highest, the lowest, the most popular, the least common, exceptions

  5. Avoid repetition of "percentage"

    • proportion, figure, rate, level, number

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Student Comments From Evaluate Writings

  • Jubayer Hossain 4 days ago

    Band Score 6The bar chart illustrates the findings of a survey regarding coffee and tea consumption and purchasing habits among residents of five cities across Australia. It is evident that, aside from Adelaide, the percentage of people who visited a cafe in the past month exceeds both those who bought fresh coffee and those who bought instant coffee during the same period. Additionally, in all the given cities, the proportion of individuals who bought fresh coffee is fewer than those who bought instant coffee. Except for Adelaide, in all other cities, more than half of the population has visited a cafe in the past month. Hobart and Melbourne have the highest percentage of cafe visitors with nearly 65%. In Adelaide, the proportion of visit cafes, both constituting about half of the population. The percentage of individuals who have bought fresh coffee has always been less than 45%, regardless of the city. In Adelaide and Brisbane, the survey indicates that this percentage is the lowest, at less than 35%. Sydney has the least discrepancy between the percentages of instant coffee buyers and fresh coffee buyers according to the survey.

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