Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-08

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 line graph illustrates the average monthly price variations of copper, nickel, zinc in the 2014.

Overall, all the three metals prices fluctuated throughout the give peroid. The cost of nickel and copper decreased by end of the year while, the price of zinc increased.

In 2014,there is 6% change in copper in january and amount of change in price in february is decreased to 4%

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response identifies the chart topic and attempts an overview, noting fluctuation and a rise in zinc, but the overview is not fully accurate: copper ended higher than it began, while nickel and zinc also finished above zero, so the claim that copper decreased by year-end is misleading. The only detailed figures given—6% for copper in January and 4% in February—actually describe nickel, not copper. Most months and the main comparisons are omitted, leaving the task only minimally addressed. The response is also substantially below the required 150 words, which limits the opportunity to select and report the key features. To improve, accurately identify each series and describe the major movements, including the sharp mid-year falls and late-year recovery, with supporting figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: an introductory sentence is followed by an overview and then a detail sentence. The use of “Overall” helps signal the summary, and the ideas are broadly related to the graph. However, the response stops before developing a clear progression through the data; there is no organised comparison of the metals or coverage of the later months. The final sentence is also difficult to connect to the overview because it gives figures for the wrong metal. Cohesive links are sparse, and the paragraphing does not support a complete report. A clearer structure would use an introduction, a concise overview, and two detail paragraphs grouped by the metals’ contrasting trends.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses some relevant vocabulary, including “fluctuated,” “price variations,” and “increased,” showing an ability to describe basic trends. The range is nevertheless limited, and several expressions are inaccurate or awkward, such as “the give peroid” and “amount of change in price.” “Cost” is also less precise than “price” when reporting the graph’s percentage changes. These choices do not prevent the general topic from being understood, but they reduce clarity and naturalness. Build a more precise set of trend terms—such as “rose,” “fell,” “recovered,” and “remained stable”—and use collocations like “monthly percentage change in price” to report the data accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both a simple opening statement and a more complex overview sentence, so there is some structural variety. However, grammatical control is uneven. In “all the three metals prices,” the possessive form is missing; “throughout the give peroid” contains an incorrect form; and “while, the price” has faulty punctuation. The final sentence shifts to “there is” and “is decreased,” which do not fit the past-time chart description, and its sentence structure is difficult to follow. Articles and punctuation are also inconsistent, as in “in the 2014” and “In 2014,there.” Use past tense consistently, check singular/plural and possessive forms, and separate clauses with accurate punctuation.

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