Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

The line graph compares the average monthly change in prices of nickel, zinc, and copper with the previous month.

Overall, nickel experienced sharp fluctuation, while copper stayed moderately stable over the period. All three showed a slow increase at the start of the year and reached their lowest points in the middle. However, recovered in the last months.

Nickel started with the highest percentage increase, at 6% in January. However, nickel price changes fell sharply over the next several months, reaching by -3% in June, remaining stable at -1% between July and September, and recovered to 1% rise by November and December. Zinc started at the lowest, rose by 1%, to peaked at 3%, and dipped to a low of -1% by June. Zinc reached and stayed at -0.5% in July to September, and climbed to 1.5% and 2% by the end of the year, despite a drop in October.

In contrast, copper remained steady than others, starting at 2% rise, and falling below 0 after April. It reached the lowest point in March and stayed at -0.5% until June. In the second half, it rose by 1%, and with a slight fluctuation between September and November, it climbed to 1.5% in December.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You select the main patterns and support them with relevant figures, including nickel’s peak of 6% in January and fall to -3% in June, and zinc’s recovery to 2% in December. The overview also identifies nickel’s greater volatility and copper’s relative stability. However, a few details are inaccurate: copper’s lowest point was -0.5% in May and June, not March, and it rose to 1.5% in July rather than 1%. The claim that all three increased slowly at the start is too broad, since nickel and zinc initially fell or fluctuated. Correcting these points and making the overview more precise would strengthen an otherwise clear summary of the graph.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised effectively into an introduction, an overview and two detail paragraphs, with nickel and zinc discussed together before copper is contrasted. This gives the reader a clear progression through the data. Linking expressions such as “Overall,” “However,” and “In contrast” help signal the relationships between ideas, and the comparisons are generally easy to follow. Some connections could be more exact: “All three showed a slow increase at the start” does not accurately summarise the different early movements, and “However, recovered” lacks a clear subject. More precise transitions between each metal’s changes would make the progression smoother and cohesion less dependent on repeated contrast markers.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a suitable range of trend vocabulary, including “sharp fluctuation,” “fell sharply,” “remained stable,” “dipped,” and “climbed.” These choices communicate the main movements and show some flexibility beyond basic terms such as “went up” and “went down.” A few collocations and forms are less natural, however: “reached by -3%” should be “fell to -3%,” “rose by 1%, to peaked” is awkward, and “remained steady than others” does not express the intended comparison idiomatically. “Lowest points in the middle” is also imprecise. Choosing more exact phrases for changes and comparisons would improve precision and control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

There is a useful mix of simple and more complex sentences, including the contrast in “In contrast, copper remained steady…” and the clause beginning “despite a drop in October.” Most of the data descriptions remain understandable, and the response shows some control of past-tense reporting. Errors nevertheless occur in several sentence patterns. “However, recovered in the last months” is missing its subject; “reaching by -3%” uses an incorrect construction; and “rose by 1%, to peaked” combines incompatible verb forms. The sentence about copper falling below zero after April also conflicts with the later statement that it reached its low in March. More consistent sentence construction and accurate verb forms would help make the varied structures more reliable.

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