Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The line chart illustrates the percentage change of prices compared to the previous month of three materials namely Copper, Nickel, and Zinc in 2014.

Overall, it is clearly visible that price of Nickel and Copper decrease at the end of the year compared to the starting of the year. However, the price of Zinc increases in decemeber compared to January.

Among the three metals, Nickel's price change is the highest in january which is 6%. this rate sharply decreases to 1% in march and reaches to -3% in June. However, the change in price for Nickel gradually increases till November, although faces a decrease in October. The price changing rate remains same in Decemeber.

The price change of Zinc starts from 1% in the January and increase by 2% in February whiuch is the highest during a year for Zinc. After that it gradually decreases to -1% in June and then increase gradually till September and increases to 2% in December.

Copper starts it's price change from 2% in January to around 1.5% in December. During the year, price changing trend of Copper remains flater comparative to

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the chart’s subject and report several key movements, including nickel’s January peak and June low, and the broad rise in zinc toward December. However, the overview is not fully accurate: copper does not decrease overall from January to December, and nickel ends at about 1%, rather than clearly finishing below its January level in a way that supports the stated comparison. Some details are also misreported: zinc reaches its low in June, then remains around -0.5% through September rather than increasing steadily, and copper is described as ending at 1.5% instead of about 1.5% only if read approximately (the chart shows roughly 1.5%). The final copper comparison is unfinished. Select the main overall patterns more precisely and complete the comparison.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for nickel, zinc, and copper. This makes the metals easy to follow, and linking words such as “However” and “After that” help show sequence. Some connections are less clear or mechanically repeated, particularly the repeated use of “gradually” and “However.” The overview’s comparison is difficult to reconcile with the later figures, and the final sentence stops after “comparative to,” leaving the copper discussion incomplete and weakening progression. Use the overview to preview the most important shared pattern, then organise each detail paragraph around accurate changes over time. Ensure every sentence is complete and use references such as “this figure” only when their meaning is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of chart vocabulary, including “percentage change,” “sharply decreases,” “reaches,” and “remains same,” so the main trends are generally understandable. There are also attempts at more precise expressions, such as “price changing rate,” but this phrase is unnatural and is repeated. Several spelling and word-choice slips—“decemeber,” “whiuch,” and “flater”—reduce accuracy, while “materials” is less precise than “metals” in this context. Aim for natural collocations used in data reporting, such as “the monthly price change,” “fell to,” and “remained stable.” Vary trend verbs where appropriate, and proofread spelling so that the reader’s attention stays on the comparisons rather than the wording.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, for example, “However, the change in price for Nickel gradually increases till November, although faces a decrease in October.” The meaning is mostly recoverable, but some grammatical errors remain. In that sentence, “although faces” needs a subject (“although it falls”), and “price of Nickel” would be clearer with an article or possessive form. There are also agreement and tense problems in “the price of Zinc starts … and increase,” and “the price of Nickel and Copper decrease.” The final sentence is incomplete, and punctuation and capitalisation are inconsistent. Use consistent past tense for the 2014 data, check subject–verb agreement, and make sure each sentence has a complete clause.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.