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)

This graph shows the average monthly changes in prices of copper,zinc,nickel.

Firstly i describe nickel. On start of the year the nickel % is 6 but after two months it decreased and in some years it struggled. In june it gone to -3%.In july it increase and remain same for 3 years and on the end of year it remain constant 1%.

Secondly i describe copper.In junuary copper % is 2.In some years it increase or decreased.In june it gone to -0.5%.But in next month it increase and remain same for 3 months.At the end of the year it gone to 1.5%.

Now i describe zinc.The zinc % is 1 in start of the year.and gone to 3% in next year and it start decrease in next years and gone to -1% in june nd it almost remain same for next 3 months.And suddenly it start increase and gone to 2% at the end of the year.

I describe the summary. The rate of nickel is higher than others at the start of years and it start decrease. On the other hand copper it starts year very good and in middle of year it struggled and low rate at the end of the year.Finally zinc it starts year with normal rate and it increase and decrease in many months but it end is good than other.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You cover all three metals and identify several important movements, including nickel’s high January figure and June low, copper’s mid-year negative change, and zinc’s recovery to 2% in December. However, the account is often unclear or inaccurate: nickel did not remain at the same level for three years, and copper’s final figure is described correctly but its generally modest changes are not clearly summarised. Phrases such as “in some years” and “next year” confuse months with years, making trends difficult to follow. The final summary attempts an overview, but claims such as copper ending at a “low rate” and zinc ending better than the others are not supported by the chart. Select the main patterns more precisely and compare the metals using accurate month references.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure: it discusses nickel, copper and zinc in separate sections, then gives a summary. This makes the three subjects identifiable, and sequencing each metal through the year is a sensible approach. However, progression within the paragraphs is often difficult to follow because links are repetitive and sometimes unclear, as in “after two months,” “in some years,” and “in next years.” The repeated openings “Firstly,” “Secondly,” and “Now” create a mechanical list rather than a connected report. The concluding paragraph also repeats earlier information without bringing the comparisons together clearly. Use month names consistently, group related trends, and connect comparisons directly—for example, contrasting nickel’s sharper fluctuations with copper’s smaller changes.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use a small set of relevant terms, including “decreased,” “increase,” “remain,” and “at the end of the year,” so the reader can recognise that you are describing changes over time. However, the vocabulary is limited and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural, which sometimes obscures the intended meaning. “Struggled” and “starts year very good” are informal or vague descriptions of numerical trends, while “gone to” is repeatedly used where a more precise verb is needed. “In some years” also misuses the time vocabulary for a monthly chart. Spelling and word-form errors such as “january” and “jun” further reduce control. Build a more precise range for describing rises, falls, stability and comparison, and check spelling of month names.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

Most sentences use simple subject–verb patterns, and the reader can often understand the intended trend. There are attempts to link events with “but,” “and,” and “after,” but the range of sentence structures remains limited and errors occur frequently. Examples include “On start of the year,” “it gone to -3%,” and “it increase and remain same,” where articles, verb forms and sentence construction are not controlled. Tense shifts also appear in “it start decrease” and “it end is good.” Capitalisation and punctuation are inconsistent, including missing spaces after commas and full stops. Practise describing past data consistently in the past tense, such as “rose,” “fell,” and “remained,” and form complete sentences with appropriate articles and prepositions.

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