Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-31

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 6.5)

The line graph illustrates the percentage change in prices of copper, nickel and zinc in 2014.

Overall, it is evident that the percentage change in price fluctuated significantly in 2014. While nickel which started the year with largest proportion declined toward the end of the year, zinc which reported the least percentage at the beginning of 2014 rose significantly before the end of 2014.

Regarding copper and nickel, nickel stood at 6% in January and dropped relatively to 1% in march. Meanwhile, by June nickel has dipped steadily to -3 and it rose slightly to -1 in July maintaining this value till September. However, it rose substantially to 1% in November reaching December with similar percentage share. Similarly, copper reported a percentage change at 1% in January and it increased slightly to 3% in February. This was followed by a stead declined and it levelled off in July at approximately -0.8 in July reaching December with percentage value of 2%.

Turning to zinc, its recorded 1% in January and it rose significantly to 3% in February and it dropped significantly to -1% in June. Conversely, it rose from -1 in October to to 2% in December.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all parts of the task, providing a clear overview and selecting key features for the three metals. The main trends are identified, and comparisons are made between the metals throughout the year. However, the analysis is slightly hampered by some inaccuracies in data reporting; for example, stating nickel 'started the year with the largest proportion' is accurate, but the description of the fluctuations lacks precision in some areas. The overview is functional but could be more concise. Overall, the response successfully addresses the requirements of the prompt by summarizing the main features and trends effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs focusing on specific metals. Cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile', 'However', 'Similarly', and 'Conversely' are used to link ideas, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed analysis. While the progression of ideas is generally clear, the referencing within the sentences could be smoother to avoid repetitive structures. Overall, the text is easy to follow and demonstrates a coherent structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with terms like 'fluctuated', 'dipped', 'steadily', and 'levelled off' used correctly. There are some minor issues with word choice and precision, such as 'percentage share' or 'percentage value' when referring to price changes. Additionally, there are some minor errors in phrasing, such as 'stead declined' (should be 'steady decline'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, it lacks the sophistication and flexibility required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'by June nickel has dipped' (should be 'had dipped'), 'to to' (repetition), and 'its recorded 1%' (should be 'it recorded 1%'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but there are instances where sentence boundaries are slightly awkward. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. A wider variety of error-free complex structures would be needed to reach the next band.

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