Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-06
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 price of three metals named copper, zinc and nickel in 2014.
Overall, The average prices of copper and zinc fluctuated throughout the time period. Nickel showed a sharp downward trend in first half of the year, in contrast, copper and zinc declined steadily and converged at the lowest in June.
Between January and march, nickel dropped substantially, starting at 6% and ended with the 1%, after remaining stable for a couple of year it experienced another significant drop by June at the lowest -3%.
In the first month, the average monthly price change slightly declined with almost same rate before may. Both metals converged above -1% during may.
Between July and September, three metal remained stable and, declined slightly with almost similar pattern, at -2%, -1% and below 1% for nickel, zinc and copper, respectively. Nickel and zinc experienced noticeable growth in November, reaching above 1%. At the end, a little average monthly price changed slightly for above three metals.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response provides an overview and selects key features, such as the downward trend of nickel and the convergence of metals. However, the reporting of data is often imprecise or confusing. For instance, the description of the period between January and March is inaccurate regarding the specific figures shown on the graph, and the reference to 'a couple of year' is factually incorrect as the graph only covers 2014. Furthermore, the description of the trends in the latter half of the year is vague, failing to clearly distinguish between the three metals. To improve, ensure that data points are accurately transcribed and that comparisons are explicitly linked to the specific metals mentioned.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is hindered by unclear referencing. For example, the sentence 'In the first month, the average monthly price change slightly declined with almost same rate before may' is confusing because it does not specify which metals are being discussed. Additionally, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate, such as the transition 'At the end' to conclude the report. While there is an attempt to group information chronologically, the lack of clarity in identifying the subjects of each trend makes the overall flow difficult to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision. You use basic descriptors like 'sharp downward trend' and 'significant drop', which are appropriate, but there is a reliance on repetitive phrasing. Some word choices are awkward, such as 'at the lowest -3%' or 'a little average monthly price changed slightly'. There are also minor errors in collocation and phrasing that occasionally impede the clarity of the data being presented. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology for describing trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'stabilised', or 'converged' with more accurate modifiers.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('in first half'), prepositions ('at the lowest -3%'), and subject-verb agreement. Punctuation is also inconsistent, such as the unnecessary comma after 'Overall' and the capitalization error in 'The average'. While these errors do not completely prevent the reader from understanding the general message, they are frequent enough to impact the overall fluency of the writing. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for article usage would significantly improve the accuracy of your work.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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