Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-30

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 line graph compares the trends about what the average monthly change in prices of three metals namely copper, nickel, zinc were made in 2014.

Overall, although the categories experienced changes over the given period. The most noticeable trend was the most rapid decrease observed in the prices of nickel before rising alongside the overall fluctuations experienced in the percent change price of zinc, while a similar pattern was observed in the prices of copper but the changes were pronounced.

Initially, nickel recorded the highest figures at 6% in January, which then had a rapid drop and went to 1% by the month of march 2014, However, an opposite trend was observed in the prices of zinc as it experienced a significant increase and went from 1% to 3% in between the months of January and February. It is also noteworthy that some interesting trends were reported in between the months of May and July, as the prices of both nickel and zinc dropped dramatically as zinc went from 0.5% to -3% before rising to -1% by the end of July, on the other hand zinc reduced from 1% to -1% before experiencing a slight increase and reached at -0.5%.

Turning to the remaining category, copper has experienced some fluctuations as well but they were not so dramatic so overall, it stayed in between the percent changes of 2% to -0.5% before returning back to almost its original value at 2%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student attempts to address the task by reporting on the monthly changes in prices for copper, nickel, and zinc in 2014. An overall trend is provided, and several specific data points are highlighted, such as nickel starting at 6% in January and dropping, alongside movements in zinc and copper. However, there are significant inaccuracies in data interpretation and reporting. For instance, the student states that zinc went from 0.5% to -3% before rising to -1%, which confuses the data lines for nickel and zinc. Furthermore, some of the descriptions of trends are vague or inaccurate compared to the provided chart. Because of these data misreadings and slightly underdeveloped comparisons, the task achievement is limited to a Band 5.5.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay is divided into paragraphs, starting with an introduction, followed by an overview, body paragraphs, and a concluding discussion of copper. There is some attempt at logical sequencing, and cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Initially', 'However', and 'Turning to' are employed to guide the reader. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical. For example, sentences in the overview are broken up incorrectly (e.g., a sentence fragment starting with 'The most noticeable trend...'), and transitions within the body paragraphs can be confusing due to tangled pronoun reference or misallocated data. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion lacks smooth progression, placing the response firmly at Band 5.5.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting words like 'fluctuations', 'dramatically', 'significant increase', and 'pronounced'. However, there are notable lexical and collocation errors, such as 'percent change price', 'trends about what the average monthly change... were made', and confusing the direction of movement. Less common lexical items are attempted but often lack precision or are used awkwardly. Spelling is generally accurate, but word choice and phrasing frequently sound unnatural. This matches the characteristics of a Band 5.5 lexical resource.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses ('three metals namely copper...') and subordinate clauses ('as it experienced a significant increase'). However, grammatical accuracy is weak. There are several structural and punctuation errors, including a sentence fragment in the overview ('The most noticeable trend was... while a similar pattern... but the changes were pronounced.'), tense inconsistencies, and awkward phrasing such as 'reached at -0.5%'. While meaning is generally retrievable despite the errors, the frequency of grammatical slips keeps the score at a Band 5.5.

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