Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-14
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 illustrates the percentage change in price compared with the previous month, of three types of metals such as copper, nickel and zinc in 2014.
Overall, it can be seen that all the three types of metals experienced a dramatic fall throughout the period. It can also noticeable that nickel recorded the highest figure in start of the year, while the zinc had the lowest, despite the fluctuation were seen in the all types of metals and decreased by the end of the period.
In January, nickel accounted for 6%, making it the highest category, in contrast to the zinc had 1%. Copper and nickel decline to 4% and 1% in February and continueously dropped to 0.5% and -3% by June.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you have identified some main features, the analysis is incomplete. You have not covered the entire period or all the data points shown in the graph. The summary is too brief, and the lack of sufficient detail means the task is only partially addressed. To improve, ensure you describe the trends for all three metals across the entire year, including key turning points and final values, to provide a comprehensive overview of the data presented.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay has a basic structure with an introduction, an overview, and one body paragraph. However, the progression of ideas is limited due to the brevity of the text. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In contrast to' and 'In January', but the overall flow is somewhat mechanical. The paragraphing is insufficient; the body paragraph is underdeveloped and lacks a clear logical transition between the different metals. To improve, use a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences and ensure each paragraph has a clear focus, perhaps grouping the metals by their performance trends.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks sophistication. You used some relevant terms like 'fluctuation', 'dramatic fall', and 'percentage change', which is positive. However, there are some awkward phrasings, such as 'recorded the highest figure in start of the year' and 'making it the highest category'. These errors do not impede communication, but they limit the precision of your writing. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and varied vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'plummeted', 'marginal', or 'a downward trajectory'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For example, 'all the three types' should be 'all three types', and 'despite the fluctuation were seen' is grammatically incorrect. Additionally, 'continueously' is misspelled. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and preposition usage, such as 'in start of the year'. While the meaning is generally clear, these errors are frequent enough to affect the overall quality of the writing. Focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring correct tense usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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