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 compares the percentage changes in the prices of three metals: copper, nickel, and zinc over the course of 2014.
Overall, it is clear that all the metals experienced fluctuations through the year. While nickel depicted the highest price in the initial month, price of the zinc was lowest.
In the month of January, while nickel showed the highest price around 6%, it declined considerably in the following months. From July onwards, prices of nickel exhibited the stability from -1% , which rose substantially to 1% in the month of December after a slight dip in October. Whereas the prices of copper started from 2% in January and went to approximately -0.5% in May stayed constant for one month, before increasing to around 1.5% in December.
By contrast, zinc was the only metal which showed lowest prices at the beginning of the year and experienced the significant growth despite of fluctuations. In the month of January, it had price value around 1%, which increased to 3% in February. After felling subsequently for the following eight months, it rose rapidly from around 1.5% to 2% in December.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all three metals and identifies key trends. However, the overview is slightly weak as it does not clearly highlight the most significant differences or the overall trajectory of the prices. While the report includes data points, some descriptions are inaccurate; for example, stating nickel had the 'highest price' is misleading, as the graph shows percentage change, not absolute price. Additionally, the description of zinc's movement is somewhat confusing, as the data points mentioned do not align precisely with the visual trends. To reach a higher band, ensure that the summary clearly synthesises the main features rather than just listing data points, and ensure the interpretation of the graph's axes is accurate.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is logically organised into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to group information by metal. Cohesive devices such as 'while', 'whereas', and 'by contrast' are used to link ideas, though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the internal coherence within the paragraphs is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as the transition between the description of nickel and copper. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the flow of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with attempts to use descriptive terms like 'fluctuations', 'considerably', and 'substantially'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'exhibited the stability from -1%' and 'felling subsequently'. The term 'price value' is also slightly redundant. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, it lacks the precision and natural collocation required for a higher band. Focusing on more precise reporting verbs and collocations related to data trends will help improve this 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 'price of the zinc was lowest' (missing article), 'despite of' (incorrect preposition usage), and 'felling' (incorrect verb form for 'falling'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on mastering subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and ensuring consistent verb tense usage when describing past data.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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