Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-14

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 4.0)

This graph is depecting the following information, that there are three metals copper, nickel and zinc whose prices got changed as compared to previous months. In January the price of Nickle was too much high as compared to Zinc and Copper. While the price of Nickle was declined so much as compared to other two metals. The Nickel opper metal faces much price fall as compared to other two metals in whole scenerio. The price of Zinc remians constant for thos whole scenerio. With the passage of year the mai effect was on the copper than secondly was on zinc and thirdly on the zinc.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

You identify the three metals and make a relevant comparison by noting that nickel began much higher than copper and zinc and then fell sharply. However, the response gives only a very limited account of the graph and does not provide a clear, accurate overview of the main trends. The claim that zinc “remains constant” is incorrect: its monthly change falls from around 3% in February to negative figures in the middle of the year, then rises towards December. The final comparison is also unclear and repeats zinc rather than naming the third metal. The response is 45 words below the required minimum, which leaves too little space to select and report the key features. Describe the overall pattern and support it with accurate comparisons across the year.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

The response has a basic sequence, beginning with what the graph shows and then referring to January and changes over the year. Linking expressions such as “While” and “With the passage of year” show an attempt to connect ideas. However, the progression is difficult to follow because the observations are not grouped or developed, and several sentences repeat the idea that nickel fell more than the other metals. The final sentence is especially confusing: it says copper had the greatest effect, then ranks zinc second and zinc third. Use a clear overview followed by a small number of comparisons, and make each sentence add a distinct piece of information. Paragraphing would also help separate the overview from supporting details.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “prices,” “declined,” “price fall,” and the names of all three metals, so the general subject is recognisable. However, the range is narrow and several word choices or spellings make the meaning less precise: “Nickle” is misspelled, “too much high” is not a natural way to describe a value, and “faces much price fall” is awkward. “The main effect” is also unclear in this context, where you need to describe changes in percentage terms. Aim for accurate graph language such as “rose,” “fell,” “fluctuated,” and “monthly change,” and check spelling and collocations. More precise vocabulary would help distinguish a price level from a percentage change.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt several sentence forms, including a relative clause in “three metals … whose prices got changed” and a contrast introduced by “While.” Most sentences communicate a general idea, but grammatical control is uneven. For example, “the price of Nickle was too much high” has an incorrect adjective construction, while “The price of Zinc remians constant for thos whole scenerio” has problems with tense and sentence phrasing. The final sentence also lacks a clear grammatical comparison, making the intended ranking hard to understand. Use the past tense consistently for the 2014 data, and practise straightforward comparative structures, such as “Nickel fell more sharply than copper.” Proofread for sentence boundaries and agreement as well as spelling.

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