Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-16

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 graph delineates the variation in the prices of three distinct metals average per month in 2014. Overall, there are three lines whol distinguish the type of metals. The figure regarding to copper exposure slight change. Whereas nickel experienced a dramatic flunctuation in the sixth month. The figure related to zinc is quite similar to copper. In January and December, copper reached a high of 2%, before facing a gradual decline in the forthcoming months till June. Change in prices of copper faced a significant increase in the next three months. Nonetheless, there was a slight change in the prices of copper by the month of September to November. The line accounted for nickel displays a large increase in January just around 6%, before a dramatic drop till the month of June around to -3%. This is the most highlighted point of the whole graph. Subsequently, the figure leveled off from July to September. However, after reaching a low of -2%. The figure remain unchanged in the last two months. Futhermore, zinc peaked at 3% in Feburary, before experiencing a slight decrease till October. By the months of November and December zinc showed a modest rise in 2014.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main overall contrast: copper changes relatively little, while nickel fluctuates much more, and you describe the broad movement of zinc. Several key details are also accurate, including nickel’s January peak near 6%, its June low around -3%, and zinc’s February high near 3%. However, some reporting is inaccurate or unclear. Copper reaches 2% in January, not December, and its rise occurs in July–September rather than being a significant increase after June; it remains around 1% in those months. The overview also misses the shared mid-year fall and late-year recovery in nickel and zinc. Select the most important stages and compare the metals more precisely to make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response includes an opening overview followed by details about each metal, so there is a basic organising plan. However, progression is weakened by moving between overview statements and individual data without clear paragraphing or a consistent comparison structure. Linking words such as “Whereas,” “Nonetheless,” and “Furthermore” are attempted, but some do not express the relationship clearly. For example, “However, after reaching a low of -2%. The figure remain unchanged” leaves a sentence fragment and an unclear reference. Group the overview separately, then organise the details into clear time periods or compare the metals within each period. This would make the sequence easier to follow and reduce abrupt transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of trend vocabulary, including “dramatic drop,” “leveled off,” “peaked,” and “modest rise,” which helps describe changes. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “prices of three distinct metals average per month,” “the figure regarding to copper exposure,” and “the line accounted for nickel.” These expressions sometimes make the intended meaning difficult to interpret. There are also spelling errors, including “flunctuation,” “whol,” and “Feburary.” Aim for standard chart language such as “monthly percentage change,” “copper showed,” and “the figure for nickel.” More precise, natural phrasing would strengthen the description without requiring more elaborate vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including clauses beginning with “before” and “whereas.” However, errors in sentence construction and verb forms occur often enough to affect clarity. “Overall, there are three lines whol distinguish” has an incomplete or faulty clause, while “However, after reaching a low of -2%” is a fragment. In “The figure remain unchanged,” the verb does not agree with its singular subject. Some sentence patterns also become difficult to follow when several changes are joined together. Practise writing complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check agreement and punctuation. A few accurate complex sentences are useful, but clarity should take priority over adding more clauses.

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