Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-11

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 given line chart illustrates information during 2014, about the average changes in the charges in comparison with previous month of three different metallic element.

Overall, сopper was the metal with the most stable pattern compared with others. Whereas nickel experienced significant changes over the monthes.

In January, copper saw a 2% price change, compared with 6% for nickel. By contrast, zinc had the smallest change, at just over 1%. By the end of the month, copper had declined to about 1%, while nickel had fallen dramatically to just over 4% and zinc to 2%. In March, copper had decreased to over 0.5%, while nickel had more than halved to about 1% and zinc had dropped to 2%. In April, copper and nickel did not face any changes, while zinc had decreased to just over 1.5%. After that, all three metals fall steadily, copper to just below -0.5%, nickel to over 0.5%, and zinc to 1.5%. In June, nickel and zinc had fallen significantly to over -3% and -1% respectively, while copper remained unchanged.

In July, three metals rose, with nickel increasing sharply to -1%, copper to 1%, and zinc to about -0.5%. By contrast, all three models did not face any changes until September. In October, nickel fallen sharply to just about -2%, zinc to -1%, and copper to over 0.5%. By the end of the month, nickel and zinc increased dramatically to over 1% and 1.5% respectively, while copper remained unchanged. In December, nickel did not face any changes, while zinc grown to 2%, and copper to about 1.3%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the graph and makes relevant comparisons. You successfully identify the overall trends for copper, nickel, and zinc. However, the report suffers from some inaccuracies in data interpretation. For example, you state that in April, copper and nickel did not face any changes, but the graph shows specific values. Additionally, some descriptions of the trends are slightly confusing, such as the use of negative percentages in the text which do not always align clearly with the visual data provided. To improve, ensure that your data points are precisely extracted and that the comparison between the three metals is more clearly structured to highlight the key differences throughout the year.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of information. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall,' 'In January,' 'By contrast,' and 'After that' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the logical progression within paragraphs is occasionally hindered by the dense listing of data points. The transition between months could be smoother to avoid a repetitive list-like structure. Improving the use of referencing and varying your cohesive devices would help the response achieve a higher band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'significant changes,' 'declined,' 'fluctuated,' and 'remained unchanged.' There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'charges' instead of 'prices' and 'metallic element' instead of 'metals.' Additionally, there are some spelling errors like 'monthes' and 'grown' (should be 'grew'). While these errors do not impede communication, they limit the precision of your writing. To reach a higher band, focus on using more sophisticated vocabulary and ensuring accurate word forms in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, such as 'three metals rose' (should be 'the three metals'), 'nickel fallen' (should be 'nickel fell'), and 'zinc grown' (should be 'zinc grew'). There are also issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement. While these errors rarely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on consistent verb tense usage—especially when describing past trends—and proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy will significantly improve your writing.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.