Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-06

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)

Various metals are present in the world, but the most abundant metals that were present in 2014 were copper, nickel and zinc. In this essay, I am going to discuss about the monthly price changes that were seen among those three metals in 2014.

From January to December, the price of Nickel was relatively high than copper and zinc in January and Feburary month, later there was sudden drop from March to June. In July, the price again came back a little higher than the previous price and remained constant till september and then a sudden increase was seen in November and December.

The price of zinc was affordable in the month of January; from Feburary to June, there was a rise and fall in the price of the metal. From July to October, the price was a little constant and had a rise in november and December.

About the copper price, it was somewhat similar where the price started from high, and then the price went down. The prices were going up and down each month and atlast the price went the same to where it was started in the first month of january.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response addresses the task only partially, presenting a rudimentary summary that misses key features of the provided data. Rather than reporting actual price trends accurately, the writer describes the graph in vague, repetitive terms such as 'rise and fall' and 'going up and down each month'. Furthermore, the introduction includes inaccurate generalisations about metal abundance that are not supported by the prompt or the visual data. The data points cited are frequently imprecise or misread, failing to make meaningful comparisons between the three metals. To reach a higher level, the writer needs to select and report the main trends clearly, support descriptions with accurate data points from the chart, and provide a well-developed overview comparing the overall performance of copper, nickel, and zinc throughout the year.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is some basic organisation with paragraphs dedicated to each metal and an introductory remark, but the text lacks a clear overall progression. Cohesive devices are used mechanically or inaccurately, such as repetitive transitions like 'later' and 'then'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the grouping of ideas within paragraphs feels disjointed and lacks internal logical flow. Referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the movement of data across the months. To improve, the student should use a wider variety of cohesive ties more naturally, ensure each paragraph has a clear thematic focus, and establish a logical progression that connects the introduction, body details, and overview effectively.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and minimally adequate for the task. The writer relies heavily on basic descriptors like 'high', 'low', 'rise', and 'fall', alongside spelling errors such as 'Feburary', 'Constant', and 'atlast'. While there are attempts to use terms related to prices and changes, word choices often lack precision and precision in collocation, for instance describing a metal as 'affordable'. These noticeable errors occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. To achieve a higher band, the writer should incorporate a broader range of less common lexical items related to data trends and fluctuations, improve spelling accuracy, and use precise terminology suited to academic descriptions of statistical charts.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response employs a limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences and basic compound constructions. Attempts at more complex sentences are often faulty, featuring awkward phrasing and prepositions, such as 'discuss about the monthly price changes' and 'price was relatively high than copper'. There are frequent errors in articles, tense consistency, and basic grammatical patterns that can cause some difficulty for the reader. To lift this criterion to the next level, the writer needs to demonstrate a greater variety of complex grammatical structures with higher accuracy, improve control over verb tenses when describing past data, and eliminate frequent basic errors in sentence architecture.

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