Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-08

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 5.0)

The line graph demonstarates the dramatic change in prices of the three metals copper, zinc and nickel in 2014. the duration from January to march shows a dramatic degradation of the price of copper and nickel from 6 to below 1, in contrast to the zinc where it shows a steady jump of price. The degradation of prices of the three metals continues from march up to june where it falls under -3%. However, you can see a sudden jump in prices during july up to 1%, following a steedy change to September, until october you see a sudden decrease in prices thrn a sudden jump until november where it continues to fluctuate

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies the metals and the general subject, and it attempts to describe changes across the year. However, it reports several key features inaccurately: copper did not fall from 6% to below 1%—it began at about 2%—and the sharp fall below −3% in June applies to nickel, not all three metals. The overview is also incomplete: it does not clearly compare the metals’ overall patterns or mention their recovery toward the end of the year. The final trend is left unfinished, and there is no clear summary of the most important highs and lows. The response is 37 words below the required minimum, which further limits the detail and coverage. Select accurate comparisons and support them with representative figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is a basic chronological sequence, moving from January–March through June and then July–November, and phrases such as “in contrast” and “following” show an attempt to connect ideas. However, the response is presented as one long paragraph with no clear overview or distinct stages, so the reader has to infer the main organisation. Some links are unclear: “The degradation of prices of the three metals continues” does not accurately connect to the earlier description, and the final clause trails off after “where it continues to fluctuate.” Improve progression by using a short overview followed by grouped comparisons, and make each sentence’s reference and time period explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response attempts some varied vocabulary, including “dramatic,” “steady,” “sudden jump,” and “fluctuate,” and the topic is generally recognisable. However, several choices are inaccurate or awkward for describing a line graph. “Degradation” is not a natural term for a fall in prices, while “jump” suggests a rise that is not consistently supported by the data. “Steedy change” is unclear, and “dramatic” is repeated without distinguishing the metals’ different movements. There are also spelling errors, including “demonstarates” and “thrn.” Use precise trend language such as “declined,” “recovered,” “remained stable,” and “reached a low,” and choose descriptions that match the size and direction of each change.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes attempts at longer sentences and subordinate clauses, for example, “The duration from January to march shows…” and “until october you see…,” but control is uneven. The opening after the first sentence begins with lowercase “the,” and several clauses are joined into long, comma-heavy sentences, making the relationships between ideas difficult to follow. The construction “in contrast to the zinc where it shows” is awkward, and “until november where it continues” does not form a clear, complete ending. Capitalise month names and sentence beginnings, use full stops to separate stages, and check that each clause has a clear subject and verb. More controlled sentence patterns would make the trends easier to understand.

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.