Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-09

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)

Given chart dispalys the changes in the price averagely per month of three metals like copper, nickle and zinc in the year 2014.

At the start of the year price of nickle was quite high than other two metals which had very low gap between their market value but until half year their was noteable fall in the price of nickle compared to other metals like zinc prices increase in month of januray but started falling since than where as prices of copper dropped gradually but in a month of june after first half it ended up with price higher than others.

In second of half of 2014 intially copper was worth more than zinc which was also worth well over nickle at that time and for the next three months there was no change in their cost but a positive shift came in october for nickle and zinc and result in nickle reaching value near copper where zinc event passed it at the end of november.

Overall the pattern of change in prices of these metals is somewhat similar like their was only decline in the prices in first half of the year and but then no change for three straight months and dramatic increase at the end of second half.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the three metals and describe broad movements across the year, including nickel’s high starting point and the later recovery in nickel and zinc. However, the account only partially reports the graph’s main features, and some comparisons are inaccurate or unclear. For example, copper did not finish June “with price higher than others”: it was still below zero, while nickel was lower and zinc was also negative. The claim that there was “no change” for three months is also misleading: the lines are broadly stable, but their monthly changes remain at different levels. Your overview should clearly state the main contrast—nickel’s sharp fall and the metals’ negative mid-year figures, followed by recovery toward year-end—and support it with accurate comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall arrangement: an introduction, a description of the first half, a second-half paragraph, and a concluding overview. Time markers such as “At the start of the year,” “In second of half,” and “at the end” help the reader follow the chronology. However, some links are mechanical or unclear, and long sentences combine several comparisons without clear boundaries. The sentence beginning “At the start of the year” shifts between nickel, zinc, and copper, making the sequence difficult to track. The final overview also repeats earlier points rather than clearly synthesising them. Use shorter, focused sentences and group the metals by shared trends or contrasting movements to make progression clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing a graph, including “fall,” “dropped gradually,” “positive shift,” and “increase.” This gives you a basic range for reporting movement. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “price averagely per month,” “very low gap,” “worth well over,” and “event passed it.” Spelling errors in “dispalys,” “nickle,” “januray,” and “intially” also reduce precision. These issues sometimes make the intended comparison difficult to understand. Build a reliable set of graph-description phrases, especially for values and trends, and check spelling carefully. Prefer precise terms such as “monthly percentage change,” “remained stable,” and “overtook” where they match the data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt longer sentences and use time clauses and comparisons, but complex structures are often faulty, and errors sometimes make relationships between ideas hard to follow. For example, “At the start of the year price of nickle was quite high than other two metals” has problems with articles and comparative structure; “their was noteable fall” has an incorrect verb form; and “and result in nickle reaching value” lacks a clear grammatical construction. Sentence boundaries and punctuation are also inconsistent, particularly in the long second paragraph. Practise forming accurate comparative sentences, such as “Nickel’s monthly change was higher than that of copper and zinc,” and use full stops to separate distinct trends. Greater control of basic sentence patterns will make your more ambitious sentences clearer.

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