Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-22
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 graph illustrates that the Nickel price was highest in the month of January. It touched it lowest in june but then july onwards it sustained to the middle-ground. Copper, on the other hand, remained stable throughout the year as compared to nickel. It started and ended at point 2, though faced a little downfall in the initial months. Zinc started at 1 and saw a peak in the beginning but gradually iit decreased in the month of July and this decline continued till October and then the priced stabilized at the end of the year.
In comparison, Nickel witnessed huge shifts in pricing as it started at the highest point compared to other metals and also went the lowerst during mid hear till it stabilized at the end. While both other metals remained on the middle with little fluctuations throughout the year.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to summarize the main trends of the three metals, noting that nickel experienced high volatility while copper remained relatively stable. However, the student misinterprets the data in several places; for instance, stating that copper 'started and ended at point 2' when the graph shows percentage changes starting at 2% and fluctuating, and describing zinc as decreasing until October before stabilizing. Furthermore, the response is under the 150-word minimum, containing only 143 words, which prevents a fully developed overview. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The text is organized into two paragraphs, separating the individual descriptions from the comparative overview. There is a basic logical progression from detailing specific metal trends to making comparisons. However, cohesive devices are somewhat basic and mechanical ('on the other hand', 'In comparison'), and referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'both other metals remained on the middle'. Paragraphing is present, but overall the flow lacks the smooth progression expected at higher bands.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting some topic-specific terms like 'volatility', 'fluctuations', and 'middle-ground'. However, there are notable lexical inaccuracies and awkward collocations, such as 'touched it lowest' (spelling and grammar error), 'downfall' instead of 'drop' or 'decrease', and 'priced stabilized'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, and spelling or word-choice errors occur frequently enough to cause slight strain for the reader.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'Copper, on the other hand, remained stable throughout the year as compared to nickel.' There are, however, several grammatical and mechanical errors throughout the text, including capitalization and spelling slips ('june', 'mid hear', 'priced stabilized', 'iit'). Control over complex structures is inconsistent, but the errors do not severely impede general communication, allowing the response to secure a solid band 6.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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