Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-15

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 following lines graph illustrates the change in the prices of copper, nickel and zinc in the year 2014. It represents the change in the prices as compare to previous month.

Taking lines graph in consideration, initially, The price of copper was slightly decreasing but in the month of june the price was climbed and at the end of year again went to its original price which is 2. On the other hand, the price of nickel was so high at the starting of the year. Then, it has a huge drop from 6 to 1 in March.

The nickel's price was decreasing gradually even in the months of June and July. It remained same from three months and after a slightly increasement in it. Lastly, placing look on zinc, it started increasing in the starting of year then it has a huge drop till June. It slightly recovered till October and then jumped up.

Taking everything into account, prices varies with the material increases and decreases according to their trend.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify all three metals and mention several broad movements, including nickel’s high starting point and its fall to 1 in March. However, the account is only partially accurate and the main features are not clearly selected. Copper did not rise in June; it was negative in May and June, then recovered to about 1 from July, ending at 1.5 rather than returning to its original value of 2. Nickel’s decline was not gradual throughout: it fell sharply to around -3 in June, then fluctuated before rising in November. Zinc rose early, but its major fall also occurred around June, followed by a recovery in November and December. The final overview is too vague to summarise these contrasts. Give a precise overview and support it with accurate key stages and comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure: an introduction, discussion of the metals, and a concluding sentence. Phrases such as “On the other hand” and “Lastly” show an attempt to guide the reader, and the metals provide a general organising principle. However, progression is uneven: copper and nickel are discussed together, then nickel is revisited before zinc, which makes the grouping less clear. Some links do not express the relationship accurately, and the final sentence repeats the idea of rises and falls without drawing the information together. Organise the body into clear stages or compare the metals over the same periods, and use linking phrases only when their logical relationship is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing a graph, including “drop,” “decreasing,” “recovered,” and “increasing,” so the reader can generally understand the intended trends. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are unnatural, such as “lines graph,” “placing look on zinc,” and “slightly increasement.” “Huge drop” is also repeated rather than using more precise language to distinguish a sharp fall from a gradual decline. Choose standard graph-description terms and use them accurately; for example, describe a value as “falling sharply” or “remaining stable.” More precise vocabulary would make the comparisons clearer and reduce awkward phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response includes both simple statements and some attempts at longer sentences, such as “On the other hand, the price of nickel was so high at the starting of the year. Then, it has a huge drop…” However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences awkward or unclear. Examples include “as compare to previous month,” “the price was climbed,” and “prices varies,” which show problems with verb forms, agreement, and sentence construction. Tense use also shifts between past and present when describing the 2014 data. Use the past simple consistently, check subject–verb agreement, and practise combining comparisons into controlled sentences. More accurate basic structures would improve clarity before attempting more complex forms.

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