Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-14
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 4.0)
The graph beneath describes the average monthly change in the rates of three metals throughout 2014.
In graph describes in the month of january nickel has almost high as compared to zinc and copper in month of january and lowest prices in january is zinc. In the month of december zinc has highest rates and the nickel has lowest rates during 2014. In this graph describes about the rates of metals during 2014. In the month of december nickel has slightly high rates and zinc and copper is lowest. In the month of febrary nickel has highest rates and copper has lowest.In the month of march zinc has highest rates as compared to nickel and copper. In april zinc also has highest rates and lowest is copper. In the month of May zinc is highest and copper is lowest. The months march,april,may have same rates . In the month of june copper is highest and nickel is lowest. In month of july copper has highest rates and nickel is lowest.In the months of augest,september,october copper has highest rates and nickel has lowest rates.
In the month of november zimc highest anf copper has lowest rates.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.0 |
| Overall | 4.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response attempts to describe the main features of the graph showing average monthly changes in the prices of copper, nickel, and zinc throughout 2014. However, the report suffers from significant inaccuracies in reporting data, repetitive phrasing, and a lack of overall overview. For instance, the student states that 'in the month of march zinc has highest rates' and repeats similar isolated monthly points without synthesizing trends or providing clear comparisons between the three metals. The information is presented in a mechanical, list-like manner that fails to adequately select and report the most salient features of the data. Consequently, this performance aligns closely with the Band 4 descriptors, where the task is addressed only minimally and key features are insufficiently supported or incorrectly reported.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0
The organization of the response is extremely weak, preventing any clear logical progression. The student writes almost the entire essay as a single, massive block of text with virtually no paragraphing, apart from a brief and arbitrary line break before the final sentence. Cohesive devices are severely lacking, and the writer relies on repetitive introductory phrases such as 'In the month of...' to link sentences. Referencing and progression are confusing, as seen when the writer jumps abruptly between months and metals without guiding the reader through the data. There is no clear overall structure or logical sequencing of information, which places this response firmly at Band 4 for Coherence and Cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 4.0
The vocabulary used is extremely basic, repetitive, and restricted. Throughout the text, the student relies on elementary words and phrases like 'highest rates', 'lowest prices', and 'copper and nickel', reusing them constantly without variation. There are also noticeable lexical errors and awkward collocations, such as 'rates of three metals' and spelling mistakes like 'febrary' and 'augest'. The range of vocabulary is barely adequate to communicate the basic subject matter, showing no ability to use less common lexical items or paraphrase effectively. This meets the criteria for Band 4, where vocabulary is basic and repetitive, occasionally straining the reader's understanding.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0
The grammatical range is very limited, consisting almost entirely of simple sentences with repetitive subjects and verbs, such as 'zinc has highest rates' or 'copper is highest'. Attempts at complex or compound structures are virtually absent. Furthermore, grammatical accuracy is poor, featuring frequent errors in subject-verb agreement and preposition use, including 'In graph describes in the month of january nickel has...', 'zinc and copper is lowest', and missing articles throughout. Punctuation is also neglected, with run-on phrasing and spacing issues. Because errors are frequent and sentence structures are extremely basic, a score of 4.0 is appropriate.
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.