Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-19
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 graph illustrates the changes in costs in each month of three metals during 2014. Those metals are copper, nickel and zinc.
Nickel had the highest percentage in January, 6%. However, it experienced a significant drop in the next 4 months, with the lowest point of -3% in June. It rose a little slightly, then remained stable from July to October. It decreased slightly again before rising again before rising to 1% in December.
Starting with 1% in January, the percentage change in prices of zinc increased slightly to 2% in February. Then, it dropped to -1% in the period of 5 months. It fluctuated from June to October before going up to 2% in December.
Compared with the two others above, copper seemed to have a less significant change in prices. It was 2% in January, and decreased to under 0% in June. After that, it fluctuated and reached nearly its highest point of 2% in December.
Overall, in spite of having the highest point at first, nickel experienced a dramatic decrease and became the lowest one at the end of the year. Although each metal had different percentages in January, they reached nearly points between 1 and 2% in December.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting on the main trends and making relevant comparisons among the three metals. An overview is provided in the concluding paragraph, effectively summarising the general trends. The data points cited, such as nickel starting at 6% in January and dropping to -3% in June, align well with the provided visual data. However, there are some minor inaccuracies or slight generalisations in tracing certain monthly fluctuations (e.g., describing nickel's trajectory or copper's movements), but these do not detract from the overall clarity and selection of key features. The response fulfils the requirements of an academic task 1 well, earning a solid band 7.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is logically organised, with a clear introduction, separate body paragraphs dedicated to each metal, and a distinct concluding overview. Cohesive devices are used adequately to guide the reader through the data, such as 'However', 'Starting with', 'Then', and 'Compared with the two others above'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate each metal's trends. While referencing is generally clear, some transitions between months can feel slightly mechanical or repetitive in structure (e.g., starting multiple sentences with temporal markers), which keeps the response at a band 6.5 or 7.0 level. Overall organisation and progression remain clear throughout.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate and functional range of vocabulary for the task, utilising terms related to trends such as 'significant drop', 'rose a little slightly', 'fluctuated', and 'dramatic decrease'. There are some awkward collocations or slightly unnatural phrasings, such as 'rose a little slightly' (redundant) and 'reached nearly points', but these errors do not impede communication. Less common lexical items are attempted with varying degrees of success. This performance fits comfortably into band 6.0, as the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main features and comparisons.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over past tense structures and comparative clauses. There are several grammatical errors and awkward constructions, such as 'the changes in costs in each month', 'before rising again before rising', and minor punctuation slips. However, these errors rarely impede communication and the majority of simple sentences are accurate. The variety of sentence structures is adequate for the task requirements, justifying a band 6.0 descriptor.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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