Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-11

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 changes in price of three distinct metals in relation to the previous month, for the year 2014. The comparion includes metals as Cooper, Nickel, and Zinc.

Overall, prices of all three metals have been fluctuating throughout the year. Nickel, experienced the most variations in its pricing when compared with previous month, hence the metal's prices also dropped the most. In contrast, Zinc's prices displayed to be relatively less volatile in the period.

Firstly, in the period of January to March the collective reduction in Nickel's base price was recorded to be 5%, and then it fell by 1% more in April. In comparison, Zinc's price increased by 2% in realtion to previous month, but later on prices of metal kept on falling untill june 2014 to reach -1% in relation to previous months. While Cooper prices reduced by 2.5% in total against its base prices by the month of june, before increasing by more than 1% in July.

Furthermore, Nickels price in realtion to previous month reached record lowest of -3% by june, before the gradual price increases reaching the price of metal to +1% higher by the end of year. Zinc on other place, touched lowest of -1% of its value comapred to previous month in june, subsequently the metal's price change in percentage, remained almost negligible untill October, Since in November there was massive hike of +1% into the metal's value which pleatued untill end of December.

Lastly, the percentage change in the value of Cooper remained constant until september, which rate was achieved by metal in July. Moreover, the rate of price change became +1.5% approximately by the end of the year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You provide a relevant overview, identifying nickel as the most volatile metal and zinc as comparatively less volatile, and you cover all three series. Several key details are also accurately selected: nickel reaches about −3% in June, copper rises to around 1% in July, and its year-end change is about 1.5%. However, some descriptions are unclear or inaccurate. For example, copper falls by about 2.5 percentage points from January to June, rather than having its “base price” reduced by that amount; the graph shows monthly percentage changes, not cumulative price reductions. Zinc’s November rise is about 1.5%, not +1%, and its change then rises to 2% in December rather than remaining level. Distinguish monthly changes from overall price movements and report the later figures more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing the earlier and later months. Sequencing expressions such as “Firstly,” “Furthermore,” and “Lastly” help readers follow the account, and the metals are generally compared within the same sections. However, the progression is sometimes mechanical, and the final paragraph revisits copper after the preceding paragraph has already discussed the later months. Some connections are also difficult to follow, particularly “In comparison” before the zinc description and the long sentence beginning “Zinc on other place.” Grouping the data into a clear first-half and second-half comparison, and using more precise references to each metal and period, would make the organisation smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “fluctuating,” “volatile,” “gradual,” and “percentage change,” which helps describe trends. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “in relation to the previous month.” However, inaccurate collocations and repeated wording reduce precision: “collective reduction in Nickel’s base price” does not describe the monthly-change figures, while “prices displayed to be” and “massive hike” are awkward or overly informal for this report. Spelling errors such as “comparion,” “realtion,” “untill,” and “pleatued” also detract from control. Aim for concise, conventional trend language and check spelling and metal names carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses with “before” and “while,” and most of the intended meaning can be understood. Some grammatical errors remain, especially in sentence boundaries, agreement, and punctuation. For example, “Nickel, experienced” incorrectly separates the subject from its verb, and “Zinc on other place, touched” has an awkwardly placed comma and an incomplete phrase. The sentence beginning “Since in November” is also not correctly connected to the preceding clause. There are occasional problems with articles and possessives, as in “Nickels price.” Review comma use, avoid sentence fragments or run-ons, and check that each clause has a clear grammatical connection.

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