Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-13

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 given line graph depict the average prices of copper,nickel and zinc which changed during the years of 2014 with the unit of percentage.

As it can be seen nickel had the highest changing price at 6% in January, followed by cooper with 2%, and zinc had the least changes with the percentage of 1.

After that in June, the price of all of them decreased to the their lowest changes, nickel had the least changes with -3% ,zinc and cooper with -1 and 0% respectively. The price of all of these metals changed and stood smooth and steadily between June and october and again sharply changed from october to December. Zinc had the highest change in December 2%, folloewd by cooper with 1.8% and nickel 1%.

Overall, the price of cooper, zinc, and nickles had flactuated many times in 2014, nickel had the most changes, and cooper had the least changes of the price.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the graph, such as the starting points in January and the trends toward the end of the year. However, the response lacks a clear overview of the overall trends, and some data points are described inaccurately (e.g., stating the price 'stood smooth and steadily' between June and October, whereas the graph shows significant fluctuations). To improve, ensure you provide a more accurate summary of the data trends and avoid over-generalizing. The inclusion of specific figures is good, but ensure they are correctly interpreted from the visual data provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response 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 'After that' is a bit simplistic. The logical progression is sometimes hindered by unclear referencing, such as 'all of them' or 'all of these metals,' which could be more specific. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus that flows logically into the next.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several spelling errors (e.g., 'cooper' instead of 'copper', 'nickles', 'flactuated', 'folloewd') that detract from the quality of the writing. You rely on basic descriptors like 'highest' and 'lowest' rather than more precise academic terminology. To improve, work on your spelling of key terms and try to incorporate more varied vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'peaked,' 'dipped,' or 'remained stable.' The current range is sufficient to convey meaning but lacks the precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and article usage (e.g., 'the given line graph depict', 'with the unit of percentage'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after commas. While these errors rarely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading your work for basic grammatical accuracy, specifically ensuring that verbs agree with their subjects and that articles are used correctly before nouns.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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