Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-13

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 graph gives information about the precentage price's average change of copper, nickel, and zinc in 2014. Each month is compared with the previous.

Overall, the proportion of changes fluctuated with ups and downs in all material kinds. Copper declined marginally from 2% in january to 1.5% in december. For nickel, it decreased significantly (6% to 1%), while zinc climbed from 1% to 2%.

First of all, both copper and nickel declined across the year 2014. Nevertheless, both of them had some considerable fluctuations. Copper faced a decrease in price changes until may with a -0.5% change compared with april, however, this change became stale for another month in june. Moreover, copper had an incline to 1% in july where it became stable till september, and it reached 1.5% at the end of the year. On the other hand, nickel fell in price change greatly from 6% to its lowest at -3% in june, which is also the lowest price change of all three materials. After that, nickel increased again to a stable -1% until it changed again beginning in September, until it finally reached a 1% change in price.

Secondly, although zinc jumped slightly to 2% from the original 1%, it also faced some inclines and declines in price changes throughout the year. At the beginning of the year, it increased in february by 3%, then it continued to decrease until it became -1% in june, and finally it reached 2% by the end of 2014.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall pattern and make relevant comparisons: nickel falls from the highest starting point to a low in June, while copper ends below its January level and zinc finishes above its starting level. The response also includes useful monthly detail, such as copper’s recovery to 1% in July and nickel’s rise from its June low. However, the overview is not fully accurate: copper does not decline overall from January to December, since it ends at about 1.5%, only slightly below 2%, and its monthly pattern includes a recovery. The claim that nickel changes again “beginning in September” is also unclear; it remains around -1% through September and then changes in October. More precise selection and description of these trends would make the summary clearer and more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs grouping copper and nickel before zinc. This makes the information easy to locate, and sequencing phrases such as “First of all” and “Secondly” help signal the progression. However, some connections are mechanical or imprecise. For example, “After that, nickel increased again to a stable -1% until it changed again beginning in September” is difficult to follow because the timing and direction of the change are unclear. The contrast marker “Nevertheless” also does not clearly express the relationship between the preceding and following ideas. Use more direct links based on time or comparison, and ensure each sentence follows clearly from the previous one.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of vocabulary for describing trends, including “fluctuated,” “declined,” “increased,” and “stable.” These choices generally communicate the graph’s movements, and you attempt more specific expressions such as “decreased significantly.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, including “the proportion of changes,” “price changes became stale,” and “had an incline.” “Price change” is also repeated where a more precise description of the monthly percentage movement would help. There are spelling errors such as “precentage” and “january,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for standard graph language and check spelling: for example, describe a figure as “the monthly percentage change” and say it “remained unchanged” rather than “became stale.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “although,” “where,” and “which,” and your meaning is generally understandable. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly in sentence construction and punctuation. In “Copper faced a decrease …, however, this change became stale,” the comma splice should be corrected by using a full stop or a conjunction. The sentence beginning “After that, nickel increased again to a stable -1% until it changed again…” has an unclear clause structure, making the sequence hard to interpret. There are also inconsistent capital letters for month names and some awkward article and preposition patterns. Build complex sentences carefully, punctuate independent clauses correctly, and proofread month names and sentence boundaries.

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