Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-12

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 line graph illustrates the percentage change in the prices of Copper, Nickel and Zinc during 2014 by comparing it with previous month.

Overall, Nickel metal experienced a noticeable decline in its price while the price of copper metal fluctuated over the period but it slighlty reduced at the end as compared to the first month.In contrast, Zinc experienced a sharp increase in its price at the last month of the year.

Nickel price reduced from six per

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the graph’s subject and give an overview that recognises different patterns, especially Nickel’s decline and Zinc’s rise at the end. However, the response is only a brief start: it stops at “Nickel price reduced from six per” and provides no completed account of the monthly changes or meaningful comparisons. The overview is also partly inaccurate: Nickel did not decline throughout the year, since it recovered to positive changes in November and December, and Copper ended higher than it began (about 1.5% versus 2%? Actually the chart shows about 1.5% in December and 2% in January, so the slight reduction is broadly correct). The response is 78 words, below the required 150. To address the task more fully, complete the report and select key peaks, falls and end-of-year movements accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction is followed by an overview and the beginning of a detail paragraph. “Overall” and “In contrast” help signal the relationship between the trends, so the reader can follow the main point. However, the final paragraph ends mid-sentence at “Nickel price reduced from six per”, leaving the report without a logical development or conclusion. The overview also places several claims together without supporting details, and the spacing and punctuation around “period but” and “month.In” interrupt the flow. Complete the detail paragraph and organise it by comparing the metals’ early-year changes, mid-year falls and late-year recovery. Use linking phrases selectively to make those stages clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “percentage change”, “fluctuated”, “decline” and “sharp increase”, which communicates the general subject and some trends. There is some repetition of “price” and “metal”, however, and several phrases are not natural or precise: “Nickel metal” and “the price of copper metal” are unnecessarily repetitive, while “reduced” is less suitable than a trend verb such as “fell”. The spelling error “slighlty” also detracts from accuracy. The unfinished phrase “six per” does not convey a complete figure or unit. Aim for concise, accurate expressions such as “Nickel prices fell” and “the monthly percentage change”, and use a wider range of verbs to describe rises, falls and recoveries.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You produce some complete sentences with clear basic structures, such as “The line graph illustrates…” and “In contrast, Zinc experienced…”. The overview also attempts a more complex contrast using “while”, showing some range. Accuracy is weakened by missing or awkward grammatical forms: “by comparing it with previous month” needs an article and a clearer reference, and “Nickel price reduced” needs a plural or possessive form and a more suitable verb construction. There is also a missing space after the full stop in “month.In”, and the final sentence is incomplete. Check articles, noun forms and sentence boundaries, then ensure every sentence is finished. Adding accurate comparative and time clauses would broaden the range.

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