Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-06

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graph below shows the average monthly change in the prices of three metals during 2014.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Average monthly change in prices of copper, nickel and zinc (2014)

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The graph displays the average monthly percentage change in the prices of Copper, Nickel and Zinc during in 2014.

Nickel prices fluctuated considerably during 2014, while copper prices showed a more steady overall trend. All three metals fell in June, though copper was affected the most.

In June, the change in the nickel prices declined to -3 percent from the 6 percent in January, with contrast, copper prices decrease from 3 percent to -1 percent only. The graph shows the same changing trend between zinc and nickel, as both prices fluctuation has almost similare trend.

In January, zinc price was at 1 percent and in the next month it go up to 3 percent. While copper were at the 4 percent change. Then both prices drop and zinc came to the -1 percent change. After June, there was an increasing trend in the price percentage change in all the metals.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify a useful overall contrast: nickel fluctuates more than copper, and all three metals fall around June. However, several key figures and comparisons are inaccurate. Copper is about 2% in January, not 4%, and its lowest point is around -0.5%, not -1%; it does not fall from 3% to -1%. Nickel reaches about -3% in June after starting at 6%, which you report correctly. The claim that all metals show an increasing trend after June is too broad: nickel remains negative through October, while copper is mostly stable, before the metals rise later in the year. To make the summary more complete, select accurate turning points and describe the late-year recovery more precisely; the overview is relevant but the supporting details are underdeveloped or unclear.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details about the metals, and the main topic remains clear. Some linking phrases, such as “while” and “After June,” help show comparison and sequence. However, progression is uneven: the second body paragraph shifts between nickel and copper, then the final paragraph returns to January and zinc, making the time sequence difficult to follow. Connections are also sometimes unclear, as in “with contrast,” and the sentence about zinc and nickel having a similar trend does not explain which period is being compared. Organise the details chronologically or group them by metal, and use clear links to distinguish the June decline from the later recovery.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of task vocabulary, including “fluctuated considerably,” “overall trend,” “declined,” and “increasing trend,” which allows you to describe movement and comparison. Some word choices and collocations are imprecise, however: “the same changing trend” and “prices fluctuation” do not express the comparison naturally, while “copper was affected the most” is not supported by the figures because nickel has the sharpest fall. There are also spelling and form slips, such as “similare.” Aim for precise terms that match the data, for example “fell,” “recovered,” or “remained relatively stable,” and check spelling and noun forms. Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, but greater accuracy would make the comparisons clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including contrasts with “while” and a time clause beginning “After June.” The meaning is generally recoverable, but errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction recur. Examples include “copper prices decrease,” “both prices fluctuation has,” “it go up,” and “copper were”; these should use consistent past-tense forms and appropriate subject–verb agreement. The opening phrase “during in 2014” also contains an unnecessary preposition, and “with contrast” does not form a correct linking construction. Practise writing accurate past-tense comparisons, such as “Copper fell to around -0.5%, whereas nickel dropped to -3%.” More reliable control of these patterns would improve clarity while retaining your attempts at varied sentences.

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