Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The line graph shows the average monthly change in the price of three metals: copper, nickel and zinc in 2014.

Overall, it is evident that all the data showed fluctuations over the period given. Nickel had the more dramtic change. Zinc and Copper faced the slightest change, showing ups and down.

In january, Nickel was the most expensive among the three metals, stood at 6%. It faced a dramatic fall in price change until march, reduced by 5%. Later, it was declined to -3%, remained stable for 3 months at -1% and for the last two months was at 1%.

In contrast, copper and zinc only showed slightest change over the period shown. However, the percentage change in price of copper was reduced over the year, from 2% to 1.5%. Zinc recorded a peak in feburary before facing gradual decline for five consistent months, dropping from 3% to -1%. From june, it recovered 0.5% price, showing a palteau from july to september, was dropped slightly for next two months and then accounted for 2% at the end of january.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the three metals and give an overview that notes fluctuations and the especially large movement in nickel. You also include several relevant figures, such as nickel’s 6% start and fall to -3%, and zinc’s February peak. However, some key details are inaccurate or unclear: nickel was at -1% from July to September, not simply stable “for 3 months” after the fall without specifying when; copper ended at 1.5% but did not decline overall from 2% in January, since it recovered after reaching negative values. Zinc’s final value of 2% was in December, not January. The overview also understates zinc’s wider movement. More accurate comparisons and a clearer account of the year’s stages would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing the metals. Sequencing expressions such as “In January,” “Later,” and “In contrast” help guide the reader through the information. The grouping of nickel separately from copper and zinc is also logical. However, some links between events are unclear, particularly “Later, it was declined to -3%, remained stable for 3 months at -1%,” which makes the timing difficult to follow. The final sentence combines several stages of zinc’s movement in a long sequence, and “at the end of January” conflicts with the year-long timeline. Use clearer month references and divide complex sequences into more manageable sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of graph vocabulary, including “fluctuations,” “dramatic fall,” “peak,” “gradual decline,” and “plateau.” These choices help describe changes rather than merely list figures. However, some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “the most expensive” when the graph shows percentage change, and “faced the slightest change” for the smaller fluctuations of copper and zinc. There are also spelling errors, including “dramtic,” “feburary,” and “palteau,” which reduce precision. Aim for consistent terms such as “percentage change,” “rose,” “fell,” and “remained stable,” and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including contrast clauses and sequences of events, and the main meaning is generally understandable. However, some errors in verb forms and sentence construction make parts of the account difficult to follow. For example, “Nickel was the most expensive among the three metals, stood at 6%” needs a grammatical link between the clauses, while “Later, it was declined” uses an incorrect passive form. In “Zinc recorded a peak … before facing gradual decline,” an article is missing, and the final sentence contains several clauses joined without clear structure. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and use shorter sentences when describing multiple changes.

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