Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

The graph illustrates the average monthly change in the money of three metals during 2014. Overall, the nickel started from around the january 6th and decreased steadily and reached approximately march of 1st. After that It went to the lower all the months. The other zinc started from 1st of january and increased the 3rd of feburary, after that it's also stayed the lower in all months. BP1. The copper material first started from January the 2nd and decreased in many months, and it went to the 0.5 in march and straight to July. After that period the copper went straight to the 1st of July and matched the same to others in three months from July to September. The zinc started and increased & reached to the 3rd of Feburary. After that, it's also decreased and reached the same to othees in July to September. BP2. The nickel started from the 6th of January and decreased in all months or reached the May of -3. Then it's also increased or caughed the three same month to other.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify all three metals and mention some genuine features, including nickel’s high January figure, zinc’s February peak, and copper’s relatively small changes. However, the account responds only minimally to the task because several key trends are misreported or unclear. Nickel did not remain below zero after March: it recovered to positive changes in November and December. Copper did not rise “straight to the 1st of July”; it was negative in May and June before returning to about 1% in July. The overview also does not clearly summarise the main pattern across the year. To improve, give a concise, accurate overview first, then select a few comparisons and describe their direction and timing precisely, rather than repeating individual starting points and unclear figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is an attempt to organise the response into an opening overview and two further sections, and time markers such as “After that” show an effort to connect events. However, the progression is difficult to follow: the metals are revisited in a confusing order, and the labels “BP1” and “BP2” interrupt the report rather than functioning as paragraphs. Several links are vague, including “reached the same to others” and “straight to July,” so the reader cannot reliably tell which period or comparison is meant. Group the information by clear trends—for example, nickel’s sharp fall and later recovery, then the more moderate movements of copper and zinc—and use explicit month references to make each comparison easy to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

Your vocabulary includes some relevant terms, such as “increased,” “decreased,” and “reached,” and you attempt to describe changes over time. However, the range is basic and repetitive, while several word choices or collocations make the data difficult to understand. “The money of three metals” is not an appropriate way to describe prices, and “went to the lower” does not clearly express a fall below zero. Phrases such as “copper material” and “caughed the three same month” are also unclear. Spelling errors, including “january,” “feburary,” and “othees,” further reduce precision. Practise standard graph language for rises, falls, peaks, and recovery, and check spelling and collocations before finishing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt to combine events using clauses and time expressions, as in “After that, it’s also decreased,” but sentence structures are very limited and errors occur frequently. Tense and verb forms are inconsistent: “started” is followed by “decreased” and then “reached” in constructions that do not form a clear sentence, while “it’s also stayed” uses an unsuitable form. Articles and prepositions are also often inaccurate, as in “the january 6th” and “reached approximately march of 1st.” Capitalisation and punctuation are inconsistent, and some sentences run several ideas together. Build shorter, complete sentences with a consistent past tense, such as “Nickel fell from 6% in January to 1% in March.”

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