Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The bar graph shows changes in the average monthly prices of copper, nickel and zinc during 2014.
Overall, during the initial months the prices of nickel and copper were high, which dramatically fell by the end of the year. In contrast, zinc's price was lower than nickel and copper at the start of the year but gradually surpassed tthe price of nickel and copper by the end of 2014.
Nickel had the higgest price at the begining of 2014 but saw a steep decline in the first three months reaching 1% change in price, then remained stable for a month before dramatically decreasing to -3% pice change. In July, the prices of nickel saw an increasing trend before reaching a stable point of three months. The price of nickel saw an increasing trend before reaching the 1% price change point again.
Copper's price was relatively less than nickel but it recorded an increasing trend in the Feburary before gradually declining for four months. Copper prices saw stability for three months and then declined before rising starkly and reaching 2% price change at the end of 2014.
At the begining of 2014, zinc's price was the lowest at 1% price change. It saw an increasing trend in the second month before gradually declining till June. It saw stability in it's price ffrom June to September, declining in October before surging and reaching it's highest point at 2% price change.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student attempts to summarise the main features of the graph, correctly identifying the overall trends and individual movements for copper, nickel, and zinc in 2014. However, there is a fundamental misinterpretation of the task type at the very beginning, referring to the visual as a 'bar graph' rather than a line graph. Furthermore, some data points are misreported or misread against the chart (for instance, stating that nickel reached '1% change in price' in the first three months when it actually declined from 6% to 1%, or misstating the final values and trends for zinc and copper). Despite these inaccuracies and data misreadings, the response covers all three data series and provides comparisons, fulfilling the basic requirements of the task. Because of the noticeable inaccuracies in data reporting and the incorrect chart identification, Task Achievement is awarded a band 5.5.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is divided into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and separate body paragraphs dedicated to each metal. Cohesive devices are used to link ideas (e.g., 'Overall', 'In contrast', 'At the begining'), though referencing and transitions can occasionally feel a bit repetitive. Progression is generally discernible, but the overall logical flow is somewhat hindered by inaccuracies in data interpretation. Paragraphing is used appropriately to structure the descriptions of each series. Coherence and Cohesion satisfies the criteria for Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing trends and changes, using terms such as 'dramatically fell', 'steep decline', 'gradually declining', and 'surging'. However, there are several spelling and word-form errors throughout the text, including 'higgest' (highest), 'begining' (beginning), 'Feburary' (February), 'pice' (price), and 'ffrom' (from). Less common vocabulary is attempted with mixed accuracy. Lexical Resource sits at Band 5.5 due to these recurring spelling and lexical slips.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as subordinate clauses ('while zinc's price was lower...'). However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are errors in prepositions and verb forms (e.g., 'the prices of nickel saw an increasing trend before reaching a stable point of three months', 'prices saw stability for three months'). Punctuation and sentence construction are generally manageable, but the frequency of minor structural and prepositional errors places this performance within the Band 5.5 descriptor.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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