Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-02
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 prices of three different kinds of metal such as copper, nikel and zink throughout the year.
Overall, it is evident that the price of nikel showed a significant decrease. While the price of other two metal such as zink and copper showed major fluctuations .
In January, nikel had the most increase of price however the price started to decrease and fell as low as negative 3% by June compared to May. The price started to recover rapidly and increased by 1% by November compared to October. Afterwards the price remained static.
A different trend can be seen in case the price of copper and zink. The price of copper started to fall from Jnuary and continued to May. The price dropped to 0.5% in each month . However the percentage of price increased gradually and reached to the save price bracket as the January by December.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response addresses the task only partially. While it attempts to summarise the main features of the line graph, some parts of the data are inaccurate or under-developed. For instance, the overview incorrectly states that nickel showed a significant decrease overall, whereas nickel experienced both increases and decreases throughout 2014, finishing the year higher than it started. Additionally, the description of copper contains several inaccuracies; the text claims copper started to fall from January and dropped to 0.5% in each month, which misinterprets the graph where copper began at 2% and fluctuated between positive and negative values. To reach a higher level, the response needs to provide a more accurate and fully developed overview of the main trends without misrepresenting the visual data.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response has a coherent overall arrangement with a clear paragraph structure separating the introduction, overview, and body paragraphs for individual metals. There are attempts to use cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'While', and 'Afterwards' to link ideas. However, the progression is sometimes hampered by mechanical linking and referencing errors, such as 'the price of other two metal such as zink and copper', which disrupts the logical flow. To improve, the writer should ensure that referencing is precise and that cohesive devices are used more naturally to create a smoother, clearer progression throughout the text.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate for the task, with noticeable spelling and word choice errors. Words such as 'nikel', 'zink', and 'Jnuary' contain spelling mistakes, and phrases like 'the most increase of price' are unnatural. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary such as 'fluctuations', 'recover rapidly', and 'remain static', but these attempts are accompanied by inaccuracies that cause some difficulty for the reader. To achieve a higher band, the writer needs to improve spelling accuracy, use more precise collocations, and expand the range of vocabulary used to report data.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response uses a limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences alongside a few attempts at complex forms that are often faulty. There are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation, including missing articles ('in case the price'), pluralisation issues ('other two metal'), and awkward prepositional phrases. These errors cause some difficulty for the reader. To progress, the writer must improve control over basic grammatical structures, ensure correct subject-verb agreement and noun plurals, and reduce the frequency of errors in complex sentences.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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