Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-07-24

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 6.5)

The line graph shows the average monthly change in the prices of three metals during the year 2014.

Overall, in the last start of the year the highest average change in price was observed for Nickel and then Copper and with no change in price for Zinc. At the end of the year Nickel prices closed with no change, Copper and Zinc with slight increase in price change with Zinc at the higher end.

In beginning of the the year in January, Nickel oberved the highest change in price of 6%, then Zinc with a change of 2% and Copper prices remains unchanged. For Nickel the % change in price kept falling till March, then being consitent no change till April before falling sharply down to -3% in June. For Copper the % change in price rose to 3% in Feburary before declining back to breakeven in May and then sharply falling t -1%

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the graph, identifying the starting and ending points for the three metals. However, the description of the trends is incomplete. The analysis stops abruptly after June, failing to cover the second half of the year, which is a significant omission for a summary task. While the overview attempts to highlight key trends, the lack of data for the latter half of the year means the task is only partially addressed. To improve, ensure all time periods are covered and that the most significant fluctuations are clearly described with accurate data points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'then' and 'for'. The paragraphing is logical, but the transition between the overview and the specific details could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall flow is hindered by the lack of a concluding summary or a more comprehensive body section that links the trends across the entire year.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing for basic communication of the trends. There are some attempts at using topic-specific vocabulary like 'breakeven', 'sharply falling', and 'consitent' (spelling error). However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are noticeable spelling errors such as 'oberved' instead of 'observed', 'consitent' instead of 'consistent', and 'Feburary' instead of 'February'. These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the score. Using a wider variety of synonyms for 'change' or 'decline' would improve the lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'in the last start of the year' (awkward phrasing), 'Copper and Zinc with slight increase' (missing articles), and 'Copper prices remains unchanged' (subject-verb agreement error). While the meaning is generally clear, these frequent errors in basic grammar and punctuation prevent the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles when discussing data trends.

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