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 illustrates three different metals, with average variations in price at 2014. Moreover, the provided data represent percentage changes from +7 to -4, as per the monthes.
Overall, Nickel is regarded to be high in price at initial monthes, but droup drown at the end. However, Zinc showed opposite trend over the period. Beside copper had gradual flactuations, and consider to be lest price with other two.
In january, Nickel is recoarded to be peak at price, with 6% change. After then dropped in middle of year, as -3 change in price at june. This same trend follwed by copper, hitted below then 0 change.Zinc had surge increased from january to february, by double in price approximated 3 in change and after then flowed similar fluctuations, dip down -1 at mid.
Moving further, at the end half of 2014. Zinc and Nickel demonstrated rapidly rise, by twice in change in number. Althrough, Zice is top in pice at market with 2 persent change, but nickel can only touch 1 persentage chage in price which is lowest at economy. Conciquently copper is below 2% change in price at end of december, considered secound highest in matles.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by attempting to summarise the main trends of the three metals shown in the graph, but it only partially covers the task requirements. While it correctly identifies some general patterns—such as nickel starting high and dropping, and zinc showing contrasting movements—key information is presented inaccurately or vaguely. For instance, the student misinterprets the percentage change values as the absolute market prices or heights of the metals ('Nickel is regarded to be high in price', 'Zice is top in pice at market'), rather than monthly rate fluctuations. Furthermore, details are often underdeveloped, and some comparisons lack clarity, leaving the overview somewhat confused and missing a comprehensive summary of the entire dataset provided.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The essay displays some overall organization with paragraph breaks separating the introduction, overview, and body details, but there is a lack of clear overall progression between sentences. Cohesive devices are used awkwardly or repetitively, such as 'Moreover', 'However', and 'Beside', which disrupts the logical flow of ideas. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, as seen in phrases like 'This same trend follwed by copper', making it difficult to follow which data point relates to which subject. While the text is divided into paragraphs, the internal cohesion requires better linking to ensure smoother transitions between individual statements and comparisons.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary range is limited and minimally adequate for the task, with frequent word-choice, collocation, and spelling errors that occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. There are numerous misspellings throughout the text, including 'monthes', 'droup drown', 'flactuations', 'follwed', 'hitted', 'Althrough', 'persent', 'Conciquently', and 'secound'. Additionally, lexical choices are imprecise or inappropriate for academic reporting, such as using 'surge increased', 'dip down', and describing the axes data as 'price at market' rather than monthly percentage changes. These errors restrict the clarity of the descriptions and demonstrate a restricted control over academic vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response exhibits a limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences or faulty attempts at complex clauses. There are frequent grammatical errors in verb forms, tense usage, prepositions, and subject-verb agreement, such as 'Nickel is regarded to be high', 'Zinc had surge increased', 'nickel can only touch 1 persentage chage', and missing articles ('in january', 'at end of december'). These frequent errors and awkward phrasings often cause difficulty for the reader and prevent the formation of secure, error-free complex sentences typical of higher bands.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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