Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-08
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 prices of three metals namely copper, nickel and zinc during 2014.
Overall, all three metals showed relatively consistent behaviour of changes in prices during the last two months. Nickel showed the lowest changes in price in the middle of the year whereas copper showed a comparatively modest behavior in changes in price during the entire period.
Nickel started with a surprising 6% change in price in January and followed a downward trend till Jun, recorded a negative 3% change in price. Afterward, it slightly increased to negative 1% in July and followed a unchanged trend for the next two months and dramatically finished its change in prices to 1%.
However, Zinc showed with a 1% start, a slight increase to 3% in February and fell to negative 1% in June. It soon recovered until it hit again to the similar position in October. Eventually, it finished with a highest 2% change in prices among three metals.
Copper started with a 2% change in price and followed a downward trend till the mid of the year and then it fluctuated within 1% to below 1% change in price until it finished with a 1.5% change in price at the very end of the year.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all three metals and identifies key trends, such as the downward trend of nickel and the fluctuations of copper. However, the overview is somewhat weak; it describes the end of the year rather than highlighting the most significant overall trends or major differences between the metals. While the data is generally accurate, the description of the trends could be more analytical. For instance, the 'highest 2% change' for zinc is a specific data point, but the response lacks a clear synthesis of the overall volatility of the three metals compared to one another throughout the year.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs for each metal. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'However', 'Afterward', and 'Eventually', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be improved to better link the comparisons between the metals. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the connection between the overview and the specific details could be more fluid to enhance the overall flow of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, with terms like 'downward trend', 'fluctuated', and 'consistent behaviour'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'modest behavior in changes in price' and 'dramatically finished its change', which sound slightly unnatural. While the range is sufficient to convey the information, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band. The student relies on basic descriptors rather than more precise academic collocations related to data trends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'Zinc showed with a 1% start' (should be 'started at'), 'hit again to the similar position' (should be 'returned to a similar level'), and 'finished its change in prices to 1%' (awkward phrasing). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. The control of prepositions and verb tenses is inconsistent, which affects the overall accuracy of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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