Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-10
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 graph below shows the average percentage of three metals named copper, nickel and zinc in 2014. In this graph there is a change in prices as compared with previous months.
In January the price of copper was 2 percent while in February the price of copper was 1 percent. The price of nickel was 6 percent in January while in February the price of nickel decrease and become 4 percent. Zinc price in January was 1 percent while in February the price of zinc increase to 3 percent. In January and February the price of nickel was very high as compared to copper and zinc.
In March the copper price was below than 1 percent and in April the price remain same. The price of nickel in March was 1 percent and in next month it price remain same. The price of zinc was 2 percent in March and in April the price of zinc decrease belw than 2 percent.
In May the price of zinc was 1 percent while the price of nickel was less than 1 percent. The price of copper was remain same as compared to perivous month.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0
The response identifies the three metals and reports several early-year figures accurately, including nickel’s fall from 6% to 4% and zinc’s rise from 1% to 3%. However, it covers only January to May, leaving most of the year unreported, and it gives no clear overview of the main pattern. Important features such as nickel’s sharp mid-year drop, the metals’ later recovery, and their year-end figures are therefore missing. Some descriptions are also imprecise: copper is about 0.5% in March and April, rather than simply “below than 1 percent,” and its May value falls to around -0.5%, not the same as April. Select the major turning points and comparisons across the full year, then summarise them in an overview.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response has some organisation: it moves through the months in chronological order and uses separate paragraphs to group the early data. Repeated time markers such as “In January,” “In March” and “In May” help readers follow the sequence. However, there is no clear overall progression from an overview to the most significant details, and the account stops partway through the year. Repeated sentence patterns beginning “The price of…” make the report feel list-like, while links such as “while” and “as compared to” do not always establish useful comparisons. Grouping the metals’ major trends into a few stages, and using clearer contrasts between them, would make the information easier to follow.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary is sufficient to identify the metals, months and percentage movements, using basic terms such as “increase,” “decrease” and “remain same.” However, the range is limited and several phrases are inaccurate or awkward, including “average percentage of three metals,” “price was below than 1 percent” and “the price of nickel decrease and become 4 percent.” Spelling errors such as “belw” and “perivous” also reduce accuracy. Use more precise chart language and vary the verbs for movement—for example, describe a figure as falling, rising, remaining stable or reaching a low point. Check spelling and choose natural collocations such as “price change” rather than “percentage of metals.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response mainly uses simple sentences and attempts to connect information with “while” and “as compared with,” but the structures are repetitive and errors occur frequently. Verb forms are a particular issue: “the price of nickel decrease and become 4 percent” should use past-tense forms, and “the price remain same” also needs a past-tense verb and an article. Other examples include “the price of copper was remain same” and “in next month it price remain same,” where the verb pattern and sentence structure are faulty. These errors sometimes make the relationships between figures harder to understand. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and build a few controlled comparative sentences, such as “Nickel fell from 6% to 4%, whereas zinc rose from 1% to 3%.”
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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