Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

The graph illustrates the average monthly change in prices of copper, nickel and zinc during 2014.

Similarly, Some of the metal show mininmum variation in price as compare to other.While one metal at first suddenly drop, after a some month it reach the stable price.Some metals touch negative price, but then at the end of the month approach a positive minimum increase in value that is not much.

In detail, Zinc show a increase in their value that is about 2%.On the otherhand, Nickel at a first represent that there is a drop in value then at the endthe price become stable. Copper starting price is 2% that is going to drop for a while, then there price is about 1.5%.

In conclusion, by viewing there price accroding to month vice it shows that nickel is stable in price which is about 1% . Zinc is largest in price that is about 2%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies the topic and mentions some relevant patterns, including nickel’s early fall, negative changes, and copper’s movement from 2% to around 1.5%. However, the overview is unclear and several claims do not match the graph: nickel does not remain stable throughout, and zinc is not consistently the highest-priced metal. The account also omits key comparisons, such as nickel’s much larger early rise and sharp fall to about -3% in June, followed by recovery. The response contains 143 words, below the required 150, with 10 words copied from the prompt excluded from the count. To improve, give a clear overview of the metals’ contrasting fluctuations and support it with accurate, selected figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response with an introduction, a detail paragraph and a conclusion, and phrases such as “In detail” and “In conclusion” signal stages of the answer. However, the progression is difficult to follow because the overview combines several vague statements, and the detail paragraph moves between metals without a clear comparison or time sequence. “Similarly” does not clearly connect to the preceding sentence, while “Some metals” and “there price” leave the references uncertain. Organise the report into a concise overview followed by logically grouped details—for example, compare the sharp fluctuations in nickel and zinc with copper’s smaller changes—and use linking phrases only where they clarify relationships.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant task vocabulary, including “average monthly change,” “negative,” “stable,” and “increase,” so the reader can recognise the general subject. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unclear, such as “minimum variation,” “touch negative price,” and “positive minimum increase.” Spelling and form errors—including “mininmum,” “otherhand,” and “accroding”—also reduce precision. Aim for standard graph-reporting expressions such as “fell below zero,” “fluctuated,” “recovered,” and “rose to.” Check spelling carefully and choose terms that describe percentage changes rather than implying that the metals themselves had negative prices.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts a few longer structures, including “While one metal at first suddenly drop…” and “Copper starting price is 2% that is going to drop…,” but these are often faulty, and most sentences rely on simple patterns. Errors in verb forms and agreement occur in “Zinc show,” “Nickel … represent,” and “the price become”; articles and sentence construction are also problematic in “after a some month.” These errors sometimes make the intended trend difficult to interpret. Use past-tense reporting consistently, for example, “Nickel fell sharply in June before recovering,” and check subject–verb agreement, articles and sentence boundaries. A wider range of accurate sentence patterns would make the comparisons clearer.

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

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