Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The line graph illustrates the average periodic change in the prices of three different metals which is Copper, Nickel and Zinc during 2014.

Overall, average prices of Copper and Nickel per month fell consderably over the period, whereas the figure for Zinc have got a spike in the beginning but over the period also declined steadily. It is also noticeable that the average price of Nickel was the highest throughout, while Copper experienced the most dramatic decline in the start.

In January 2014, Nickel stood at 6% change far higher than the Copper and Zinc. Which were 2% and 1% change monthly. Over the following month, the figure for Nickel declined sharply, eaching to 1% by March. Copper followed the similar pattern it fell to 0.5% by March and then recovered to peak and maintain the figure by the end of 2014.

Zinc, by contrast saw sharpest climed from 1% in January to 3% by the Feburary. After that the Zinc also experienced the considerably declined with the passage of time, but rebounded in October. By the end of year gain high peak.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the three metals and provide an overview, noting Nickel’s high starting point and the later movement in the series. Several key details, however, are inaccurate or unclear. Nickel was not the highest throughout: it fell below Copper and Zinc in June and remained negative until October, before recovering to 1% in November and December. Copper did not peak and then maintain its figure at year-end; it stayed around 0.5–1% for much of the second half and rose to about 1.5% in December. Zinc’s rise to 3% occurred in February, but its later recovery began in November, not October. Select and report the major turning points more precisely, especially the mid-year falls and year-end rebounds.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall shape: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing the early figures and subsequent changes. Sequencing phrases such as “Over the following month” and “By the end of year” help guide the reader, and the comparison between Zinc and the other metals is useful. Some links and references are less clear, however. “Which were 2% and 1% change monthly” is an incomplete sentence, while “After that the Zinc also experienced the considerably declined” makes the progression difficult to follow. The final statements about Zinc’s decline and rebound are also vague. Use complete sentences and connect each trend to a specific period so the progression is consistently easy to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a graph, including “declined sharply,” “recovered,” “peak,” and “rebounded,” and the metal names are handled clearly. However, some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “average periodic change,” “got a spike,” “sharpest climed,” and “gain high peak.” Spelling errors in “consderably,” “eaching,” and “Feburary” also reduce precision. In addition, “prices … fell” can suggest absolute prices, whereas the graph reports monthly percentage changes. Aim for accurate terms such as “monthly percentage change,” “rose,” and “fell,” and check spelling and collocations carefully. This would make the description more precise without requiring unnecessarily complex vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast with “whereas” and a time clause beginning “Over the following month.” The main trends are generally understandable, but some grammatical errors affect clarity. For example, “the figure for Zinc have got” has subject–verb disagreement, and “Which were 2% and 1%” is a sentence fragment. In “the average price of Nickel was the highest throughout,” the comparison is not supported by the data, though the sentence structure itself is clear. The final sentence, “By the end of year gain high peak,” lacks a clear subject and verb. Practise complete sentence construction, agreement, and articles, while retaining the range of sentence patterns you are attempting.

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