Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-13
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 5.0)
The line graph illustrates the average variation in prices of copper, nickel and zinc in 2014.
In 2014, the prices of zinc metal was high and going to decrease after January and in march its price drop by 1% in March and remained constant by April and its price Decreased significantly by -3% in June, after June its price started increasing and constant by 1% in July, August and September then again decreased by -2% in October, In November and December, its price increased by 1%.
On the other hand, the cost of nickel increased by 3% in February, and remained constant by 1% in July, August, and September consecutively. However, price of nickel started to fell down in October and November and finally, increased by 1.5% in December. The prices of copper metal decreased from 2% to 0.5% in March and then to -0.5% in May, and remained constant to June and rised to 1% in July to September and decreased to -0.5% in November and increased to 1.5% in December.
To summarize, the prices of all the three metals decreased significantly in June, and remained constant from July to September.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student attempts to summarise the main features of the graph regarding the monthly change in metal prices. However, the response contains several inaccuracies and a confusing description of the data. For instance, the statement that zinc's price 'drop by 1% in March and remained constant by April and its price Decreased significantly by -3% in June' misinterprets standard data representation. Furthermore, key trends are lumped together without clear prioritisation, and the overview at the end is overly simplistic and partially inaccurate (claiming all three metals decreased significantly in June, whereas nickel's main drop occurred in October/November). This places the response in Band 5.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is arranged into paragraphs, including an introduction, body details, and a brief conclusion. However, the overall progression is heavily hindered by run-on sentences and a lack of clear cohesive management. For example, the second paragraph consists of one extremely long, rambling sentence joined by repetitive use of 'and' ('...in January and in march its price drop... and remained constant... and its price Decreased... after June its price started increasing and constant...'). This mechanical and repetitive style of linking ideas creates confusion and lacks logical structuring.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for a basic summary, featuring terms like 'average variation', 'cost', 'constant', and 'significantly'. However, there are notable lexical awkwardnesses and inaccurate collocations, such as 'prices of zinc metal was high', 'price of nickel started to fell down', and 'rised to 1%'. The student also struggles with percentage changes, writing 'decreased significantly by -3%' (using a negative sign alongside 'decreased'). The range is limited and occasionally imprecise, reflecting Band 5 descriptors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
Grammatically, the response relies heavily on a limited range of structures, predominantly long compound sentences linked by coordinating conjunctions. There is a high frequency of grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('the prices of zinc metal was high'), tense shifts ('price drop', 'rised'), and malformed sentence chunks ('remained constant by 1% in July'). Punctuation is also weak, with comma splices connecting independent clauses. These persistent errors frequently cause difficulty for the reader, aligning the grammar with Band 5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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