Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

This graph illustrate the monthly average change in the prices of three metals during 2014.

There are three metals copper, nickel and zinc. In the month of january, the price of copper is 2%, while the price of nickel is 6% and the price of zinc is 1% in the month of january.

In the following month, the price of copper is decrease than previous month and goes down to the 1%, while comparing with nickel the price of nickel is down to the 4% and the price of zinc is step high to the 3% in the month of february.

In the month of march the price of copper is constantly down to the below the 1% and in the month of april the price of copper is remain same. Nickel is very fall down to the 1% and in follwing month it remain the same and zinc is fall down to 2% and below the 2%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response identifies the three metals and reports some early-month figures, including January’s values and February’s changes. However, it covers only January to April, leaving most of the year unreported, and it gives no clear overview of the main pattern or the metals’ later movements. Some descriptions are inaccurate or unclear: copper is said to fall “below the 1%” in March, although it is about 0.5%, and nickel’s sharp fall to around -3% in June is omitted. The response is also one word below the 150-word minimum. To improve, include an overview and select key turning points and comparisons across the full year.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response follows a basic chronological order, moving from January through April, and uses time markers such as “In the following month” and “In the month of March.” This gives the reader a simple sequence to follow. However, the information is not organised into clear paragraphs, and the repeated month-by-month openings make the progression mechanical. Several long sentences combine multiple metals and changes without clear separation, particularly the final sentence, so comparisons are difficult to track. Grouping the information into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs, and using clearer links between related trends, would make the account more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses relevant basic terms such as “price,” “month,” and “down,” and names all three metals correctly. However, the vocabulary for describing trends is limited and often used inaccurately or unnaturally. Phrases such as “step high,” “very fall down,” and “constantly down” do not clearly express the intended movements, while “the price … is decrease” uses an unsuitable form. There are also spelling errors, including “january” and “follwing.” A wider, more precise set of chart-description expressions—such as “rose,” “declined,” “remained stable,” and “reached a low”—would help communicate the data more clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to connect information in longer sentences, and the reader can generally identify which month and metal are being discussed. However, sentence structures are mostly simple or joined with “and,” and errors recur in verb forms, agreement, and articles. For example, “This graph illustrate” should use a singular verb, while “the price of copper is decrease” has an incorrect verb construction. “Nickel is very fall down” also shows difficulty forming a grammatical description of change. These errors sometimes make the intended meaning unclear. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and comparative sentence patterns, such as “Copper fell to 1%, whereas zinc rose to 3%.”

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.