Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-12

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 5.0)

The line graph illustrates that the average change every month in the costs of three metals along 2014.

Overall, Nickel had an incredible decreased while Copper and Zink were fluctuating during all year.

Nickel had the highest price in january which was 6 before got declined to 1 in april then diminish dramatically until reached the lowes -3% after its fluctuated got the ultimate percentage in the end of the year with 1%.

Zinc firslty had a slight increase then back to decrease until reached -1% in october before getting the biggest propotion in december which was 2%, while copper was being altered as

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify relevant overall patterns, including nickel’s high starting point and sharp fall to a low of about -3%, and you note zinc’s recovery to around 2% in December. However, the response covers the graph only partially: the copper account is cut off at “while copper was being altered as,” and several important stages are missing or unclear. For example, nickel’s lowest point occurs in June, not simply after an unspecified decline, and zinc’s early rise is not described precisely. The response also contains only 104 words, below the required 150, which leaves the summary substantially underdeveloped. To improve, complete the comparison of all three metals and report the main turning points accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is a basic attempt to organise the response, with an opening statement, an overview beginning “Overall,” and separate discussion of nickel and zinc. This gives the reader some sense of the intended structure. However, progression is limited: the account moves from nickel to zinc and then begins a copper comparison but ends mid-sentence, so the report has no complete conclusion to its sequence of information. Linking and referencing are also weak, and the long sentence about nickel combines several stages without clear punctuation or transitions. Use complete paragraphs and organise the details consistently, for example by describing the metals’ early movements and then their later changes, with clear links between comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “fluctuating,” “declined,” and “dramatically,” and you attempt to describe changes rather than merely list figures. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate enough to make parts difficult to understand. “Incredible decreased” is not a natural collocation, “ultimate percentage” does not clearly express the final figure, and “biggest propotion” is both misspelled and imprecise. There are also spelling errors such as “Zink,” “firslty,” and “lowes.” Choose precise graph language and check spelling: for example, describe a figure as a “peak” or “final level,” and use “fell” or “declined sharply” for downward movement.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple statements and longer sentences, and the opening and overview communicate a general comparison. However, the range is limited, and errors are frequent, particularly in verb forms and sentence construction. In “Nickel had the highest price in january which was 6 before got declined,” the clause after “before” lacks a correctly formed subject and verb; “then diminish dramatically until reached” has the same problem. The final clause, “while copper was being altered as,” is incomplete, and the long nickel sentence needs clearer punctuation to separate its stages. Practise complete clauses with consistent past-tense verbs, such as “It then fell to…” and “After reaching…, it recovered to…”.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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