Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-03

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 following graph shows the average monthly change in prices of metal during 2014

The 3 metals being copper, zinc and nickel. The highest price change for nickel occurs in January with 6% while nickel and copper stay low at 2% and 1% each. Nickel despite starting high continues to fall during the course of the year falling as low as -3% in June and ending the year at 1%. It is clearly evident that the price of Nickel has fallen probably due to lack of demand.

Zinc despite starting low gains a price change to 3% in February which is it's highest of the year and ending the year on 2% which is better then Nickel. Finally Copper starts at 2% and stays steady till April but then falls to its lowest at -0.4%, despite the setback it gains its price change in a positive correlation to a 1.5% at the end of the year.

Clearly despite starting as the highest Nickel had the worst statistics falling to the lowest number on the graph at 3%, however it's companions show a much better positive trend instead

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the graph, identifying key trends for copper, nickel, and zinc. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. You include personal speculation, such as 'probably due to lack of demand,' which is not supported by the data and should be avoided in Task 1. Additionally, some data points are inaccurate; for example, you state nickel fell to -3% in June, but the graph shows a different figure. To reach a higher band, ensure you focus strictly on the provided data and provide a more comprehensive overview of the trends rather than listing individual monthly changes.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate. For instance, 'It is clearly evident that...' is a bit repetitive, and the transition between sentences could be smoother. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the final paragraph where 'it's companions' is used incorrectly (should be 'its'). Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring clear logical progression between sentences would enhance the flow of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. You use basic terms like 'highest' and 'lowest' repeatedly. There are also some errors in word choice and form, such as 'it's' instead of 'its' and 'statistics' when referring to price changes. To improve, try to incorporate more varied vocabulary related to trends, such as 'fluctuated,' 'remained stable,' or 'experienced a marginal decline,' and ensure you use terminology accurately to describe economic data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'prices of metal'), incorrect punctuation, and subject-verb agreement errors. For example, 'The 3 metals being copper, zinc and nickel' is a sentence fragment. While the meaning is generally clear, these errors occur frequently enough to impact the overall quality of the writing. Focusing on sentence construction and proofreading for basic grammatical slips will help improve your score.

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