Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-03
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 monthly change in the price of metal three metals such as copper, zinc and nickel in 2014.
Overall, it is evident from the line graph that zinc was seen at the top among all metals by the end of the year. While on the other side, price of nickel went down and reached at the bottom among three metals.
Nickel was seen at the top of the trend, in starting of the year 2014. It had the the highest price and it increased by 6% in january. Significant drop has observed in the price of nickel. The price of nickel decreased and reached at 1% by the end of the year. It remained same in November and december. On the other hand, the price of zinc was the lowest. It was arround 1% in january and it rose significantly.
Furthermore, in February it arrived at peak by showing 3% increase in price. Then the value got drastically changed and reached at the -1% in May, by the december it climbed at 2%. While copper maintained second position despite of drastic change in prices throughout whole year of 2014. Price of copper was changed approximately by 2% in january and after all the change it maintained at 2% by the decemmber.
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 provides an overview and attempts to report on the main features. However, the data interpretation is inconsistent and contains significant inaccuracies. For example, the claim that zinc was at the top by the end of the year contradicts the graph, which shows nickel ending at a higher point than zinc. Additionally, the description of the trends is confusing; the text mentions a 'significant drop' in nickel, but the graph shows a volatile trend rather than a simple decline. The summary of copper's performance is also vague and lacks precise reference to the data points. To improve, ensure that the data reported matches the visual information exactly and avoid making generalisations that are not supported by the graph.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. Phrases like 'While on the other side' and 'in starting of the year' are used awkwardly, disrupting the flow of information. The progression of ideas between sentences is sometimes disjointed, particularly when moving between the different metals. While there is a clear attempt to use linking words, they are not always used with sufficient flexibility or precision to achieve a higher band. Improving the variety and naturalness of transitions would significantly enhance the coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher score. There are several instances of word-choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'reached at the bottom' instead of 'reached the bottom' and 'arrived at peak' instead of 'reached a peak'. The repetition of basic verbs like 'increased' and 'decreased' limits the range. While the student attempts to use some topic-specific vocabulary, the lack of control over these terms and the frequent minor errors in word formation and collocation suggest a limited range that is just sufficient to convey the basic meaning.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Common issues include missing articles (e.g., 'in january'), incorrect preposition usage (e.g., 'reached at'), and subject-verb agreement errors (e.g., 'price of nickel went down and reached at the bottom'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur with enough frequency to distract the reader. To reach a higher band, the student needs to focus on basic grammatical accuracy, particularly with articles, prepositions, and verb tenses, while also attempting to vary sentence structures with greater precision.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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