Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-04
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 depicts the information about the changes in prices of copper, nickel and zinc during the year 2014.
In year 2014, the Nickel prices drop by 6% to 1% from year January to March. The decrease was also observed in prices of copper which was about 1% while Zinc faces a significant decrease in value from 3% to 2% in month of March 2014. In the June month, sudden decline was observed in market value of all the metals which was -3%, -1% and about -0.5% with respect to Nickel, Zinc and Copper.
From the July 2014 to September 2014 the prices of metal remained same in market. The further decrease was seen in October as Nickel has lowest deviations in price which was -2% followed by zinc and copper whose difference in rate was -1% and around 1% respectively. In the end of year 2014, the prices of material show sudden variations and increased around 1-2%.
To sum up, Nickel price show lot of differences throughout the year whereas copper shows minimal variations.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the graph, but the analysis is somewhat inconsistent. While you identify key trends, the description of the data is occasionally inaccurate or confusing, such as the claim that prices remained the same from July to September, which is not clearly supported by the visual data. Furthermore, the overview is quite brief and lacks a clear synthesis of the overall trends. To improve, ensure that you select the most significant data points rather than listing every minor fluctuation, and provide a more comprehensive summary of the overall patterns observed across the three metals.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive. For example, the transition between sentences often relies on simple time markers like 'In the June month' or 'From the July 2014 to September 2014'. The logical progression between ideas is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing, making it difficult to follow the comparison between the three metals. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate to convey the basic meaning, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. You rely on basic terms like 'drop', 'decrease', and 'variations'. There are also some issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'prices of material' instead of 'metal prices' and 'Nickel has lowest deviations', which sounds unnatural. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise terminology related to data trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a marginal decline', and avoid repetitive phrasing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include missing articles ('In year 2014', 'in month of March'), incorrect preposition usage ('with respect to Nickel'), and subject-verb agreement errors ('Nickel price show'). While the meaning is generally understandable, these recurring errors prevent the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy, particularly regarding articles and verb forms, and try to vary your sentence structures to include more complex, error-free clauses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.