Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-01

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 illustrate the information of average monthly change in the amount of three metals namely copper, nickel and zinc during 2014.

Overall, the prices of the nickel were highest in the January as compared to the copper and zinc. The prices of the nickel were lowest in the December as compared to the copper and zinc. The prices of the copper, nickel and zinc fluctuated in every month.

to start with, the 6% ratio of the nickel price in the January. It was the highest ratio. The nickel price decreased in every month. In June the price of the nickel was -3%. In the December it was increased and reached the 1%. The copper price in the January was 2%. The prices of the copper was changed in every month. In December its price was 1.5%. In January the zinc price was almost 1% and in December its price was 2%

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response provides a basic overview of the graph, but it fails to effectively highlight the main features or trends. While it mentions the three metals, the description of the data is fragmented and lacks a clear analytical focus. The report is essentially a list of data points rather than a summary of trends. For example, stating 'The prices of the copper, nickel and zinc fluctuated in every month' is too vague. Furthermore, the data points selected are not always accurate or clearly compared, which prevents the reader from gaining a coherent understanding of the graph's overall message. To improve, you should group information by trends rather than listing individual months.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The use of cohesive devices is very limited and often mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'In [month]'. Some sentences are incomplete or lack proper transition, such as 'to start with, the 6% ratio of the nickel price in the January', which is a sentence fragment. The lack of clear linking words between the overview and the body paragraphs makes the text feel disjointed. Improving the use of cohesive devices like 'whereas', 'in contrast', or 'subsequently' would help the ideas flow more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. You frequently use the word 'price' and 'ratio' to describe the data, which is not always accurate in the context of 'monthly change'. There are also issues with word choice, such as using 'ratio' instead of 'percentage' or 'rate'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands. To improve, try to use a wider variety of verbs and nouns to describe trends, such as 'plummeted', 'surged', 'fluctuations', or 'marginal increase'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('The line graph illustrate', 'the prices of the nickel were highest'), incorrect article usage ('in the January'), and sentence fragments ('to start with, the 6% ratio...'). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and there is a lack of complex grammatical forms. To achieve a higher score, you need to focus on basic accuracy, such as correct verb tenses and article usage, and then attempt to incorporate more complex sentence structures like relative clauses or subordinating conjunctions.

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