Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-11

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 6.5)

The line graph illustrates how much the prices of copper, nickel, and zinc changed on average in the year 2014. The data is given as percentages.

Overall, we can see a downward trend in the percentage change in price of nickel. Copper's line graph fluctuated with the range 1% to 2%. Zinc was unique in that the percentage change was greater in the last month than the initial month.

Initially, nickle had the largest increase of 6%. It plummeted to 1% before dipping to around 0.8%. Furthermore, It saw a sharp decline and the percentage change was about -3% by the month june. It then rose, plateaued at -1% for three months (july, august, and september) before declining. Then it surged from -2 to 1% by november.

Copper started with 2% in january. It then fluctuated and by the end the percentage change was around 1.8. Zinc began with 1% and surged to 3% by february, before falling to -1% by the mid of the year. Similar to nickel, it then edged up and plateaued at 0.5% for the months july, august, and septemeber before dipping and raising again. By december, the percentage change was 2.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main patterns and support them with relevant figures: nickel begins at 6%, falls to about -3% in June, and recovers to positive territory by November; you also note zinc’s rise to 2% in December. However, the overview is not fully accurate or complete. Saying copper fluctuated “with the range 1% to 2%” overlooks its negative values in May and June and its lower monthly changes for much of the year. The overview would be stronger if it highlighted nickel’s pronounced fall and partial recovery, alongside the metals’ shared mid-year decline and late-year improvement. Some details are also imprecise: zinc reaches about -1% in June, not simply “by the mid of the year,” and nickel’s December value is omitted. Select and compare the key movements more consistently.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs describing nickel and the other two metals. The sequence within the descriptions is generally chronological, and linking phrases such as “Initially,” “Furthermore,” and “By December” help the reader follow changes. This is a coherent structure, with some evidence of flexible progression. At times, however, the connections between points are mechanical or unclear. “It then rose” and “Similar to nickel” require the reader to infer which movement is being compared, while “before dipping and raising again” does not specify the sequence clearly. Improve cohesion by using precise references to each metal and by grouping shared trends, such as the mid-year falls and late-year recoveries, rather than relying mainly on a list of monthly changes.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

You use a sufficient range of task-appropriate vocabulary, including “plummeted,” “surged,” “plateaued,” “edged up,” and “fluctuated,” which helps convey the scale and direction of changes. Most choices are understandable and show some awareness of descriptive style. There are occasional imprecise or awkward expressions: “Copper’s line graph fluctuated with the range 1% to 2%” is not an accurate description of its full range, and “dipping and raising again” is less natural than language describing a fall followed by a rise. Spelling slips such as “nickle” and “septemeber” also affect accuracy. Aim for precise terms that match the data, and check spelling carefully; distinguish a percentage change from the price itself throughout.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses with “before” and “although”-like sequencing, and most sentences communicate the intended trend. Some grammatical and punctuation errors remain. In “It then rose, plateaued at -1% for three months … before declining,” the sequence is understandable but the final movement would be clearer with a more explicit subject. Capitalisation is inconsistent in “It” after “Furthermore” and in month names such as “june,” “july,” and “august.” The phrase “by the mid of the year” also shows an awkward grammatical pattern. Review sentence boundaries and capitalisation, and use clear subjects when several metals are discussed in the same paragraph. These improvements would make the varied structures more consistently controlled.

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