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)

This graph indicates the variable cost of copper, nickel and zinc for the 12-month period of 2014.

Overall, the nickel has been trended because it clearly shows the number has spiked then plummeted over the 1 year timeline, similary it received both the highest and the lowest. The zinc began as low then managed to increase. The copper cost changes has not been that great. For the both months of June and October, it showed that both months received the lowest percentage of product cost changes.

The nickel price change is 6% on January, plummeted on February to 4%, then plunged to -3% on June, but managed to increased upto 1% on December. The copper started by 2%, there are ups and downs , but on December, it stayed to less than 2%. The zinc has 1% on January, gained to 3% on February and it lowest on June and October and inclined to 2% by December. It reported as well that on the months of June and October the changes of products price has been declined like the nickel had -3% and -2%. The copper is both -1% and the copper is below 0% and less than 1%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response covers all three metals shown in the graph and attempts to report key features and comparisons. However, there are notable inaccuracies in data reporting. For example, nickel's price change in February is stated as falling to 4% (whereas it is actually 4% after starting at 6%), and copper's changes are described as being -1% in June, which does not match the graph's -0.5%. Furthermore, the overview is vague and poorly articulated, stating that 'the nickel has been trended'. Because some ideas are under-developed or imprecise regarding data points, the response achieves a Band 5.5.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay is divided into an introduction, an overview paragraph, and a body paragraph containing detailed data. However, the logical progression is hindered by awkward sentence structures and weak cohesive devices. The second sentence of the overview ('similary it received both the highest and the lowest') is disjointed. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as pronoun use referring back to data series. Paragraphing is present, but overall cohesion is mechanical and sometimes faulty, fitting the Band 5.5 descriptor.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The student uses a limited range of vocabulary relevant to describing trends, such as 'plummeted', 'plunged', and 'increased'. However, word choices and collocations are frequently unnatural or inaccurate, such as 'variable cost', 'has been trended', and 'inclined to 2%'. There are also awkward phrasings like 'the copper cost changes has not been that great'. These lexical slips and limited flexibility restrict the score to Band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar is weak. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('the copper cost changes has not been that great'), tense confusion ('the nickel price change is 6% on January, plummeted on February'), and missing prepositions or articles ('it lowest on June'). These errors occasionally cause difficulty for the reader, placing the grammar performance firmly at Band 5.0.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.