Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-03

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 5.0)

The average monthly variations in the charges of three metals is being illustrated in the line graph. The data has been calibrated in percentages and months of the year 2014.

Overall, the highest change was in the costings of Nickel in the month of january in 2014. Also, the lowest price change was in the month of june for Nickel as well in the same period under review.

To commence with, the ratio for the cost of Nickel witnessed immense fluctuatations -- rose 6% in january, fallen down to 4% in february, and followed by 1% in the month of march and april in 2014. It went to 0.5% in next month and plunged to -3% in the month of june in the same year. However, it grown to -1% in the month of july and remained unchanged for the month of august and september, followed by a fall of -1%, it again rose to 1% in novemeber and remained stable until december 2014. The change in the proportions of prices of Zinc was 1% in the january, became 3% in the february, afterwards it witnessed a huge decrease and came at -1% in the month of june. Although It keep fluctuationg a bit, it managed to stay at -1% until the month of october and rose to 1.5% and 2% in the month of november and december respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response addresses the task only minimally, as the overview provided in the second paragraph fails to present a clear summary of the main trends, focusing instead on single extreme points such as the highest and lowest changes for nickel. Furthermore, the data description is incomplete and contains inaccuracies. For instance, the student states that the figure for nickel 'grown to -1% in the month of july', which misinterprets the negative value. Key comparative features between the three metals across the year are largely omitted, and the summary is restricted to a partial recounting of individual data points. To move to a higher level, the writer needs to provide a clear, comprehensive overview of main trends and present accurate data that highlights significant comparisons between all three metals throughout the period.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is some basic organisation in the response, beginning with an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. However, there is no clear overall progression, and information is presented as a list of disconnected details rather than a structured analysis. Cohesive devices are used awkwardly or inaccurately, such as the unnatural transitional phrase 'To commence with' and the repetitive use of 'followed by'. Paragraphing is also problematic, as the main body is compressed into a single, dense block of text rather than being logically divided. To improve, the student should ensure a clear logical progression between sentences and paragraphs, use a wider range of cohesive devices naturally without mechanical repetition, and separate distinct ideas and trends into clear paragraphs.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited and repetitive, featuring basic terms and mechanical descriptions of numerical changes such as 'rose', 'fallen down', and 'plunged'. There are notable lexical and word-choice errors, such as referring to 'variations in the charges' instead of prices, and awkward phrasing like 'proportions of prices'. Spelling and word form errors also appear, including 'january' with a lowercase letter and 'novemeber' with an extra vowel, alongside incorrect collocations like 'grown to -1%' where a negative drop is described with an upward verb. To achieve a higher score, the writer must expand their vocabulary range, incorporate less common and more precise lexical items related to data trends, and ensure accurate word choice and spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The text exhibits a very limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple or faulty complex sentences. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues in 'The average monthly variations ... is being illustrated', missing articles before singular nouns, and errors in prepositions and verb patterns, such as 'became 3% in the february'. The student also struggles with coordinating clauses and maintaining tense consistency when describing past data. To progress, the writer needs to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical structures with a higher degree of accuracy, paying closer attention to subject-verb agreement, articles, prepositions, and appropriate tense usage for historical data.

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