Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-17

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 depicts the proportional monthly change in the prices of three metls, named as copper, nickel and zinc during a year of 2014.

Overall, the prices of three metals went under fluctuations. In the beginning,

the price of nickel was highest than other two metals but in the end of the year

its price was lowest. While the price of zinc was lowest but in the month of december, its price was higher than other two metals.

In the month of January, the change in the proportion in price for zinc and copper

was 1% and 2% respectively. Their contribution undergone moderate fluctuation, the proportion for both of these metals came down. As the share for these metals declined and in the month of July, it reached at -1% and about 0.90% respectively. After the month of July, their share rose and in the end of the year reached 2% for zinc and approximately 1.90% for copper.

However, nickel occupied a proportion of 6% in the month of January, then it

considerably declined and in the month of July it stood at -3%. Then it slightly

grew through out the period and reached at 1% in the month of December.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student attempts to cover all three metal series shown in the graph and successfully identifies key trends, such as nickel starting high at 6% and falling to -3% in July, and the general fluctuations of copper and zinc. However, there are some inaccuracies in reporting specific data points and terminology. For instance, the student refers to the percentage changes as 'proportions' and 'shares', which misinterprets the metric being measured (% change in price compared with the previous month). Additionally, the overview is rather simplistic, stating that prices 'went under fluctuations' rather than summarising the overarching trajectories effectively. Despite these minor lapses in data precision and vocabulary precision, all parts of the task are addressed, and the response is well-grounded in the visual data. This performance aligns comfortably with the Band 6 descriptor.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response features a clear overall arrangement with information divided into logical paragraphs: an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs dedicated to zinc/copper and nickel respectively. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In the beginning', 'While', 'In the month of January', and 'However', which help guide the reader through the data. However, referencing is sometimes imprecise, as seen with phrases like 'their contribution undergone' and 'it reached at', which disrupt smooth progression. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different metals and features, ensuring that the essay is coherent overall, even if some of the internal sentence connections feel slightly mechanical. This corresponds to a Band 6 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully employing terms like 'fluctuations', 'declined', and 'considerably'. However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as spelling 'metals' as 'metls', using 'went under fluctuations' instead of 'underwent fluctuations', and repeatedly misusing terms like 'proportion' and 'share' instead of 'rate of change' or 'percentage change'. Less common lexical items are attempted but not always used with correct collocation or style, such as 'reached at'. These errors do not impede communication, as the reader can still follow the intended meaning, placing this performance firmly at Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including subordinate clauses introduced by 'while' and 'as'. There are several grammatical errors and awkward prepositions throughout the text, such as 'during a year of 2014' (unnecessary article), 'was highest than' (incorrect comparative form), 'contribution undergone' (missing auxiliary verb and incorrect tense), and 'reached at -1%' (unnecessary preposition). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but subject-verb agreement and tense consistency occasionally falter. While these errors are frequent enough to prevent a higher band, they do not impede overall comprehension, reflecting the characteristics of a Band 6 performance.

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

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