Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-13

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)

The line graph illustrates three metals and there variations in the proportion of prices per month in 2014.

Overall, the most variation is seen in the monthly prices of the nickel as they show a dramatic dropped and then little elevation, copper shows not much variation in there prices, moreover zinc shows some elevation as well as decrease in there monthly prices.

If we take a look on graph in january the nickel shows 6% of the change from the previous month in monthly price however there variation in proportion of price dropped to 1% in the month of march then remain stable approximately in may moreover from june to october it shown negative variation in the monthly prices of nickel it was around -2% and in nov and december the price was stable and shows no variation and stayed on 1%.

Furthermore, zinc and copper shows less variation in the proportion of monthly prices compared to nickel. Copper shows 2% variation in january and the dropped to -0.5% variation in june and july and then steadily went to around 1.5% in december. After all that zince variation in monthly prices increased in february and then changes declined to -1% in june and then it was stable upto october on 0.5% and then increased and in november recorded variation was 2%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main contrast: nickel fluctuates much more than copper, and you describe its sharp fall followed by a recovery. The overview also notes that copper changes relatively little, which is a relevant feature. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: nickel is around -3% in June and about -2% in October, rather than being around -2% throughout June to October; it rises to about 1% in both November and December, so it is not stable with no change. The zinc account also misplaces its late-year peak: it reaches about 1.5% in November and 2% in December. Covering these turning points accurately and comparing the metals more directly would make the summary more complete and precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing the data. This gives the reader a workable progression from the broad pattern to individual metals. You also use linking expressions such as “Overall,” “Furthermore,” and “however.” At times, though, the connections feel mechanical or the references are unclear. For example, “After all that” does not clearly signal the move from copper to zinc, and the long nickel sentence combines several months and trends without clear breaks. Organise the details by shared stages—early-year changes, mid-year falls, and late-year recovery—and use shorter sentences with explicit comparisons to make the progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a graph, including “variation,” “dropped,” “negative,” “stable,” and “increased,” so the main trends are generally understandable. There is some attempt to vary the language, but several choices are inaccurate or awkward for this task. “The proportion of prices” does not describe the percentage change shown, and “little elevation” is an unnatural way to describe a recovery. “Zince” is also misspelled, while repeated use of “variation” makes the account less precise. Choose standard graph language and distinguish a price change from the price itself; for example, describe a figure as a monthly percentage change, then say it fell, recovered, or remained steady.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “as” and “however,” and the overall meaning can usually be followed. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly in agreement, articles, and verb forms. For instance, “the nickel shows” and “zinc and copper shows” do not maintain consistent agreement, while “the dropped” is not a correct verb construction. The opening also has a faulty possessive structure in “there variations,” and several long sentences need clearer punctuation to separate clauses. Work on accurate subject–verb agreement and past-tense reporting, and divide sentences that contain several month-by-month details. This would improve control without sacrificing the range you are attempting.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.