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 graph represents the data of fluctuation in price per month of three types of metals copper, nickel and zinc in the year 2014.

Overall, the highest change in price happened in nickel, while lowest was zinc which does not happened many times. Notably, the copper was fluctuating over the period.

To begin with, in the year 2014, nickel was having the highest change of price for about 6% in January which decrease to 1% in march and reamined constant. It decreased considerably in may and reached the lowest in june at -3% and at the end reached to 1% again. Copper had started with 2% change which kept on decreasing upto june at between 0 to -1%. After this it increased significantly and became second highest,

Furthermore, the zinc contributed its share at just 1% and increased by 2 percantage point in very next month. It showed decrement and droped by 4 % point and then increased and peaked to 2%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the three metals and give a broad overview that nickel had the largest movement and copper fluctuated. You also report several useful figures, including nickel’s January peak of 6% and June low of -3%. However, the overview is partly inaccurate: zinc was not consistently the least-changing series, since it reached 3% in February, and copper’s changes were generally modest. Some details are unclear or incomplete: the account of copper stops after saying it became “second highest,” without stating when or giving its later pattern. The description of zinc’s “drop by 4% point” does not match the chart; it fell from 3% in February to around -1% in June, a fall of about four percentage points. Select and compare the main trends more precisely, including the late-year recovery.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs describing nickel/copper and zinc. Sequencing phrases such as “Overall,” “To begin with,” and “Furthermore” help signal the stages of the report. However, progression is weakened by the unfinished sentence “After this it increased significantly and became second highest,” which leaves the copper account incomplete and interrupts the paragraph’s flow. The final paragraph also compresses zinc’s changes into a vague sequence, so the reader must infer which months are being compared. Use clearer time references and complete each comparison before moving on. A more balanced organisation, with a concise overview followed by chronological comparisons, would make the relationships between the series easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant language for describing data, including “fluctuating,” “decreased considerably,” “reached the lowest,” and “peaked.” This gives you a workable range for the task. However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural, such as “the data of fluctuation in price,” “contributed its share,” and “showed decrement.” There are also noticeable spelling and word-form errors, including “reamined,” “percantage,” and “droped,” which reduce the accuracy of the report. The phrase “4% point” is also not the standard way to describe a change in percentage points. Aim for precise chart vocabulary and natural collocations, for example “price changes,” “rose,” “fell,” and “percentage points,” while checking spelling before finishing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, for example, “It decreased considerably in may and reached the lowest in june at -3% and at the end reached to 1% again.” The meaning is generally recoverable, but some errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction affect accuracy. In the overview, “the highest change … happened in nickel, while lowest was zinc” needs an article and a clearer grammatical comparison. “Nickel was having” is an awkward tense choice for describing chart data, while “which decrease” should use a past-tense form. The copper sentence ending “became second highest,” is also incomplete as a sentence. Use consistent past-tense verbs and check that each sentence has a complete, clearly connected clause.

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