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 in 2014, about the average changes in the charges in comparison with the previous month of three different metallic elements.

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

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 fell 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, the three metals rose, with nickel increasing sharply to -1%, copper to 1%, and zinc to about -0.5%. By contrast, all three metals did not face any changes until September. In October, nickel fell 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 all three metals and identifies key trends. However, the reporting of data is often confusing or inaccurate. For instance, describing values as 'over 0.5%' or 'just over 4%' is vague, and the interpretation of the graph's negative values is inconsistent. The summary of the 'main features' is hindered by a tendency to list monthly data points rather than synthesising the information into clear trends. To improve, focus on grouping months with similar movements and highlighting the most significant peaks and troughs rather than describing every single month, which leads to a cluttered and less analytical report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'In January', 'By contrast', and 'After that'. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes mechanical, and the logical flow is occasionally disrupted by the dense listing of data points. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the internal structure of the paragraphs would benefit from more varied linking words to avoid a repetitive 'In [month], [metal] did [x]' structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with attempts to use descriptive verbs like 'declined', 'halved', and 'increased'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'charges' instead of 'prices' or 'metallic elements' instead of 'metals'. The phrase 'did not face any changes' is repeated several times, which limits the lexical variety. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise terminology related to data trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a marginal shift', and avoid repeating the same phrasing for static data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'zinc grown to 2%' (should be 'zinc grew') and 'the average changes in the charges in comparison with the previous month' (which is slightly clunky). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor issues with comma usage in complex sentences. The control of tense is mostly consistent, but the frequent errors in verb forms and preposition usage prevent the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage.

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

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