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 monthly change in the prices of copper, nickel and zinc, compared with the previous months.

Overall, nickel had the biggest changes during the year. Its price increased strongly at the begnning but then fell to its lowest point in june. In contrast, the three metals generally had smaller changes in the second half of the year.

In january, the price of nickel increased by 6% which was the highest figure on yhe graph. However, this fell to 4% in february and only 1% in march. After that, nickel continued to decrease and reach about -3% in june, the slowest figure of any metal. It then stayed below zero until octuber, before rising to about around 1% in november and 1.5% in december.

The price of copper increased by about 2% in junuary, but it gradually fell and became slighlty negative in may and june. From july to september copper was in same percentage about 1%. It then decreased in octuber before rising again to about 1.5% in december.

Finally, zinc started at arounf 1% in january and reacged 3% in febraury. After this it fell down to 2% in March and month after month it percentage was decreasing. But in octuber its percentage were started enchanced and its final ratio was 2% in december.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main pattern that nickel fluctuated most, rising sharply at the start before reaching its lowest point in June, and you cover all three metals with relevant figures. The overview also notes that changes were generally smaller later in the year. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: nickel remained below zero through October, but its December change was about 1%, not 1.5%; copper was around 1% from July to September, rather than showing no change; and zinc began rising again in November, not only in October. The overview could compare the metals’ contrasting late-year recoveries more precisely, and the zinc account is less fully developed than the others.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction and overview are followed by separate paragraphs describing nickel, copper and zinc. This makes the information easy to locate, and sequencing expressions such as “After that,” “In contrast” and “Finally” help guide the reader. The progression is generally logical, though some links are mechanical and a few references are imprecise. For example, “month after month it percentage was decreasing” does not clearly identify the period or the values being described, while “But in October” gives a misleading turning point for zinc. To strengthen the flow, group the metals’ shared mid-year declines and late-year recoveries, and use clearer references to months and trends.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing movement, including “increased,” “fell,” “gradually,” “negative” and “rising,” so the main trends are usually understandable. However, the range and control are limited by repeated basic wording and several inaccurate or unnatural choices. “The slowest figure” is not suitable for a percentage change, and “its final ratio” does not describe a price change. Phrases such as “its percentage were started enchanced” and “month after month it percentage was decreasing” also make the intended meaning difficult to follow. Spelling errors, including “begnning,” “octuber” and “reacged,” further reduce precision. Build a more accurate set of trend collocations and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex forms, including contrast and time clauses, as in “However, this fell to 4% in February” and “before rising again to about 1.5% in December.” Most of the overall meaning remains understandable, but some sentence structures and grammatical patterns are inaccurate. For example, “the average monthly change … compared with the previous months” has a punctuation problem after “illustrates” and an unclear singular/plural reference; “it then stayed below zero until October” is followed by a sentence with an awkward “about around” construction; and “From July to September copper was in same percentage” lacks an article and a natural grammatical pattern. Practise accurate clause construction, articles and agreement, and proofread punctuation.

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