Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-21

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 6.0)

The line graph illustrates the average monthly change in the costs of copper, nickel and zinc in 2014.

Overall, nickel had the most significant price change between the 12 months whereas copper recorded a minor deviation. Furthermore, zinc had a slight rise in prices between January and December.

On one hand, nickel registered a sharp decline in prices between january and march, dropping from 6% to 1%. On the other hand, zinc rose from 1% in January to 3% in February then declined to 2% in March. During the same time, copper registered a minimal decrease, from 2% to 0.5 %.

It is worth noting that all the three metal registered the lowest price changes in June, with nickel at -3% from a peak 6% in January. Zinc's drop was the least significant, a drop from 1% to -1% at the same time whereas copper decreased from 2% to -0.5%.

All the three metals then recorded increase in price changes in the months between June and December. Nickel rose from -3% to 1% while copper rose from -0.5% to 1.5%. Zinc on the other hand rose from -1% to 2 %.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response provides a clear overview and selects key features of the graph. You successfully identified the main trends for all three metals. However, the analysis of the data is slightly inaccurate in places. For example, you state that nickel dropped from 6% to 1% between January and March, but the graph shows the value at 6% in January and a different value in March. Additionally, describing the June data as 'the lowest price changes' is slightly confusing, as some values are negative, representing a price decrease rather than just a low change. To improve, ensure you carefully cross-reference the data points with the axes to avoid misinterpretation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'On one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'Furthermore' to link ideas. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the paragraphing could be more balanced. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the connection between the June data and the subsequent rise in the final paragraph could be smoother. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'significant,' 'deviation,' 'registered,' and 'minimal.' There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'all the three metal' (should be 'all three metals') and 'recorded increase' (should be 'recorded an increase'). While you attempt to use more precise language, the range is somewhat limited. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' and ensure pluralization is consistent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the three metal') and subject-verb agreement. For instance, 'all the three metal registered' should be 'all three metals registered.' Additionally, there are minor punctuation issues, such as the space in '0.5 %.' While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy will significantly improve your performance.

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

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