Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-10

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 graph tracks changes in the average montly prices of copper, nickel and zinc during 2014.

Overall, it is quite evident that Nickel experienced the most dramatic fluctuations throught the years, recording both the highest increase and the lowest decrease. In contrast, copper showed relatively stable changes, while zinc generally followed a downward trend in the first half of the year beforing recovering by the end of the year.

Looking at the details more closely, Nickel recorded the highest increased in January at 6%. However, this figure declined sharply to 4% in February and then fell further to 1% in March. it remained stable at around 1% in april then it fell dramatically and recorded the lowest decreased in June at -3%. which was the lowest point for the nickle during the year. Copper on the other hand remained relatively stable, increased 2% in January then fell gradually and recorded its lowest decreased in june with only 0.5%. from july to the end of the year it fluctuated between 1% to close 2% respectively.

Turning to the zinc, it fluctuated over the year. increased only 1% in January then rose to 3% in February then fell gradually and recorded its lowest in June with -1%. it remained stable from July to October and surged rapidly. By the end ot the year, it recorded 2%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main overall pattern: nickel has the widest swings, copper is comparatively stable, and zinc recovers towards year-end. Several key figures are also reported accurately, including nickel’s January peak and June low, and zinc’s June low and December rise. This gives the response a relevant overview and a good basis for comparison. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: copper’s lowest changes were about -0.5% in May and June, not a decrease of 0.5% in June as phrased, and its December figure was about 1.5%, rather than “close 2%.” The claim that zinc “surged rapidly” is not well supported, and its November recovery is omitted. More precise reporting of these later movements would make coverage more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and detail paragraphs that move from nickel and copper to zinc. This makes the main comparisons easy to locate, and phrases such as “Overall” and “Looking at the details more closely” help signal the stages of the report. The progression is not fully smooth, however. The final paragraph says zinc “remained stable from July to October and surged rapidly,” without explaining that it stayed below zero through October before rising in November. Some sentence boundaries and transitions are also awkward, for example “June at -3%. which was the lowest point” and the abrupt shift to copper. Link the data more explicitly and use clearer sentence boundaries to strengthen cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of trend vocabulary, including “declined sharply,” “fluctuated,” “remained stable,” and “recovering,” which helps describe changes rather than simply list figures. Some less common choices are attempted, but several are inaccurate or unnatural: “highest increased” and “lowest decreased” should be expressed as a peak or a fall, while “surged rapidly” overstates zinc’s movement. There are also spelling errors such as “montly,” “throught,” “beforing,” “nickle,” and “ot.” These do not prevent the reader from understanding the report, but they reduce precision and control. Aim for accurate collocations and check spelling, especially in repeated trend terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including the contrast in “In contrast, copper showed relatively stable changes, while zinc generally followed a downward trend.” The overall meaning is usually clear, but some grammatical errors recur. Several sentences begin with fragments or lack a clear subject and verb, such as “increased only 1% in January” and “which was the lowest point for the nickle.” Sentence boundaries and capitalization also need attention: “it remained stable” follows a full stop with a lowercase letter, and “June at -3%. which” incorrectly separates the clause. There are also awkward verb patterns in “recorded the highest increased.” Use complete clauses, maintain consistent past-tense forms, and proofread punctuation to improve accuracy.

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