Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-07

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 chart illustrates the changes in the prices of copper, nickel and zinc in 2014. The x-axis of the chart shows the months while the y-axis shows the percentage change in price compared with previous month.

Overall, zinc showed the highest percentage by the end of the year followed by copper and subsequently, nickel was placed at the last. One noticable factor is that all three metals showed the same percentage in the months of July, August and September.

Zinc started at 1% in January and the percentage rose up to 3% by February then there was gradual decline and came again up to 1% by May. However, it plummeted in June at -1%, rose upto -0.5% and remained steady till September. Again fall at -1% in October and then gradually rose upto 2% by December and remained at the highest position among all the three metals.

On the other hand, nickel and copper showed many fluctuations, starting with cooper which was at 2% in January and fell steadily upto -0.5% in May and June then rose by July at 1% and remained the same till September, then decreased up to 0.5% and later on got increased at 1.5% by December. Nickel showed the major changes. Starting with the highest 6% it tell steadily at 1% in March and then further decreased up to -3% by June, however, in the months of July, August and September it rose to -1% and remained same then again decreased up to -2% by October and increased by 1% in December. Thus, remained at the lowest place.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the main trends and making relevant comparisons. You have successfully highlighted the key features, such as the volatility of nickel and the shared performance of the three metals between July and September. However, the analysis could be improved by grouping the data more effectively rather than describing each metal in a separate, exhaustive list. While the overview is present, it is somewhat mechanical. To reach a higher band, ensure that the 'main features' are clearly synthesised rather than just listing chronological changes, which can make the report feel like a data dump rather than a summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organised into paragraphs, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'On the other hand' and 'However', to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by repetitive sentence structures and some mechanical transitions. For instance, the transition between the description of zinc and the other metals is a bit abrupt. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the progression of ideas within the body paragraphs could be smoother to ensure that the comparisons are more prominent than the individual chronological descriptions.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'plummeted', 'fluctuations', and 'steady'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'got increased' (should be 'increased') and 'tell steadily' (likely a typo for 'fell'). While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, the phrasing is sometimes slightly unnatural. To improve, focus on more precise collocations and avoid informal phrasing. The range is sufficient to convey the meaning clearly, but it lacks the sophistication and flexibility required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'came again up to' and 'remained same' (missing the article 'the'). Additionally, there are issues with verb tense consistency and preposition usage, such as 'rose upto -0.5%'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and prepositions when describing numerical trends.

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

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