Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-09
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 5.0)
The graph displays average monthly change in the prices of copper, nickel and zinc in 2014.
Overall, Nickle peaked at initial stage ,dropped massively throughout the given period. While Zinc experienced the increased. Whereas, Nickel had some fluctuation.
Zinc reached a peak of 6% in July, declined to 4% and 1% in February and March respectively, decreased further to -4% of lowest by July and rose slightly to -1% and remained constant from June to September before dipping to -2% by October and jumped to 1% by November and stayed unchanged by December.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which severely limits your ability to report main features and make comparisons. You have failed to cover all parts of the task; for instance, you have not provided any data or analysis for copper, and the description of nickel is contradictory and incomplete. The summary of zinc is overly detailed in a way that lacks a clear overview or logical grouping. To improve, you must ensure you address all three metals and provide a clear, concise summary of the trends rather than listing every minor fluctuation.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response lacks a logical structure. While there is an attempt at an overview, the paragraphing is fragmented, and the transition between ideas is disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and often misused, such as the confusing use of 'While' and 'Whereas' in the second paragraph. The lack of a clear progression makes the information difficult to follow. To improve, focus on using clear topic sentences for each paragraph and linking your ideas with appropriate transition words like 'in contrast', 'similarly', or 'subsequently'.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
Your vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. You rely on basic verbs like 'reached', 'declined', and 'rose'. There are also errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'Nickle' (spelled incorrectly) and 'the increased' (grammatically incorrect). The range of vocabulary is insufficient to describe trends in a graph effectively. You should aim to incorporate more precise terminology for describing data, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a sharp decline', and ensure you check your spelling carefully.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. Examples include 'Nickle peaked at initial stage' (missing article), 'Zinc experienced the increased' (incorrect word form), and 'decreased further to -4% of lowest' (awkward phrasing). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and there is a lack of complex grammatical structures. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and varying your sentence structure by combining simple sentences into more complex ones using relative clauses or subordinating conjunctions.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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