Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-27

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 depicts the changes in costs on a montly basis of three metals during 2014. Overall, although Nickel had the highest start, its graph started to fluctuate and had the lowest pricedrop by end of the year. Meanwhile, Copper and Zinc had a moderate start and end.

Firstly, Nickel had a 6% change in price in the moth of January. However, its price gradually decreased and hit the lowest percent that is -3% in June. Later, its graph had a significant incline and reached 1% by the end of the year. Moreover, Copper had the highest change in price in January that is 2%.

Moving on, Copper's graph was at its lowest point in May with around -0.5% change in cost. Meanwhile, Zinc started at 1% change in price and had a significant increase to 3% in february. Lastly, Zinc and Copper had a 2%, 1.5% change in their price in comparision with previous month by December.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response provides a clear overview and identifies key trends for the three metals. You successfully highlighted the starting points and the fluctuations throughout the year. However, the analysis is somewhat uneven; for instance, the description of Copper and Zinc in the final paragraph is a bit rushed and lacks the necessary detail to fully compare their trajectories. While you mention the lowest points, more precise comparisons between the metals at specific intervals would have strengthened the response. Overall, you have covered the main features, but the data reporting could be more comprehensive to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding summary of trends. You use cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Moving on', and 'Meanwhile' to guide the reader through the data. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing of data points could be smoother. For example, the final sentence is a bit cluttered, making it difficult to follow the specific figures for Copper and Zinc. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that comparisons are clearly linked would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fluctuate', 'significant incline', and 'gradually decreased'. There are some minor spelling errors, such as 'montly' and 'moth', and some phrasing is slightly awkward, such as 'lowest pricedrop'. While you attempt to use more precise language, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on basic descriptors. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' and ensure that collocations are used accurately to describe statistical trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'hit the lowest percent that is -3%' and 'in comparision with previous month'. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are inconsistencies in capitalization (e.g., 'moth', 'february'). The sentence structures are mostly accurate, but the lack of variety in complex forms limits the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and ensuring consistent use of articles and prepositions will help improve your accuracy.

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

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