Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-02
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 illustrate the average monthly percentage change in the price of copper, nickel and zinc in the year of 2014.
Overall, it can be seen that nickel experienced the most fluctuations throughout the year, while copper showed a relatively stable change, In contrast, zinc followed a the rises and falls trend of nickel but less extream.
Looking at the chart in more detail, it is evident that nickel's price is 6%, in January, which is the peak of all the percentage, then in June, it faced a extream fall about -3%. After a little increase of -1% it was remained stable between July to October, Then in November and December it rose to 1%.
Turning to the remaining two metals, copper began with 2% in January, then gradually declined to nearly 0% by May and June. Although there were a little rise and fall afterward, In December copper increased around 1%. Meanwhile, zinc rose steadily 1% in January to 3% in February, before dropping approximately -1% in the mid-year. In the final month, zinc finished the year at roughly 2%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all three metals and provides a clear overview of the trends. You successfully identified the main features, such as nickel's volatility and copper's relative stability. However, there are some inaccuracies in data reporting; for instance, you describe the price of nickel in January as 6%, but the graph shows it closer to 5%. Additionally, the description of the trends could be more precise by avoiding vague phrasing like 'a little increase'. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are read accurately and that comparisons between the metals are more explicitly linked throughout the body paragraphs.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Looking at the chart in more detail', and 'Meanwhile' to guide the reader. However, there are some issues with punctuation and sentence structure that affect flow, such as the comma splice in '...stable change, In contrast...' and the capitalization error in '...afterward, In December...'. Improving the control of these linking phrases and ensuring correct punctuation between sentences would enhance the overall coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fluctuations', 'stable', 'declined', and 'steadily'. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'extream' (extreme) and 'illustrate' (should be 'illustrates' for subject-verb agreement). Some word choices are slightly awkward, such as 'followed a the rises and falls trend'. To improve, focus on accurate spelling and using more precise collocations to describe statistical changes, such as 'a sharp decline' rather than 'an extreme fall'.
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 frequent grammatical errors. These include subject-verb agreement issues ('The line graph illustrate'), incorrect preposition usage ('change in the price... in the year of 2014'), and awkward phrasing ('it was remained stable'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the misuse of commas. To achieve a higher band, you need to increase the frequency of error-free sentences and pay closer attention to basic grammatical rules like verb tense consistency and article usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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