Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-25
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 shows the monthly changes in the prices of copper , nickel and zinc during 2014.
overall, nickel had the biggest changes in price, while copper was the most stable metal, the prices of all three metals, changed serval times during the year.
in january nickel showsd the highest increases, at about 6%. however, its price then fell sharply and reached
around -3% in February. After that, it increased again to about 4% in March. From April to June, nickel changed between small increases and decreases. It reached another low point of about -3% in July before rising again.
Copper showed smaller changes throughout the year. It increased slightly in January and then fell to around -1% in February. After that, its price remained fairly stable, with only small rises and falls. By the end of the year, copper showed a
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The student attempts to cover the main trends in the graph, noting general patterns such as nickel's volatility and copper's stability, and details specific movements like nickel's peak in January and drop in February. However, the response stops abruptly mid-sentence and is incomplete, failing to fully report on zinc or provide a complete overview. Furthermore, the word count is 142 words, which falls below the mandatory 140-150 word minimum requirement for Task 1. Consequently, Task Achievement is penalised for incompleteness and under-length.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The text attempts a logical structure with an introductory sentence, an overview paragraph, and detailed body paragraphs. Basic cohesive devices like 'However', 'After that', and 'From April to June' are used to sequence events chronologically. However, paragraphing is truncated due to the incomplete nature of the response, and large gaps appear at the end. Coherence is hindered by the abrupt cut-off in the final sentence, which leaves the description unfinished.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, with functional terms like 'monthly changes', 'stable', 'fell sharply', and 'low point'. There are some minor typographical and spelling errors, such as 'overall' uncapitalised at the beginning of a sentence, 'serval' instead of 'several', and 'showsd' instead of 'showed'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive, lacking more sophisticated synonyms for describing trends and fluctuations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'the prices of all three metals, changed serval times during the year' and 'It increased slightly in January and then fell to around -1% in February.' Punctuation and comma placement are occasionally faulty (e.g., comma splices and unnecessary spaces around punctuation). While there are some correct structures, the presence of grammatical errors and the unfinished final sentence restrict the score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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