Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The line chart illustrates the average monthly change in the prices of three metals, namely copper, nickel and zinc in 2014.

Overall, the prices of nickel and copper dropped in the first few months, whereas after staying constant for three months, their prices increased. However, the price of zinc rose in January and then continued to decrease.

To begin with, the percentage change in the price of nickel fell from 6% to 1% in first three months. It remained constant in April, before dropping significantly in June to about negative 3%. In the last months of 2014 the percentage change increased to about 1%. The figure for copper also fell in first six months and reached to about 0.5%, then remained constant for three months. However, the percentage change in price of copper increased in November from 1.5% to 2.5%.

Moving on to zinc, the percentage change in the price of zinc increased in January from 1% to 3% , then dropped considerably up to June and reached negative 1%. In the next three months, the figure rose and remained constant before falling in October. The percentage change in price of zinc rose significantly in last months and finally reached 2% in December.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You provide a clear introduction and an overview that identifies broad movements, then support these with figures for all three metals. The account of nickel’s fall to around −3% in June and later recovery, and zinc’s rise to 3% in February followed by a June low, is relevant and mostly accurate. However, some key details are misreported or unclear: copper did not remain constant for three months after reaching 0.5%; it fell to about −0.5% in May and June, then rose. Its December figure is about 1.5%, not 2.5%, and the overview’s claim that copper dropped in the first few months does not capture its later negative values. More precise comparisons and a clearer overview of the metals’ contrasting patterns would strengthen coverage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is arranged in a sensible sequence: introduction and overview, followed by a paragraph on nickel and copper and one on zinc. Linking phrases such as “To begin with” and “Moving on to zinc” make the progression easy to follow, and the reader can distinguish the three series. This is a coherent overall structure. Some connections between details are less clear, however. For example, “In the next three months, the figure rose and remained constant” does not clearly identify the period or explain that zinc stayed around −0.5% from July to September. The overview also groups nickel and copper together despite their different movements. Use more precise time references and comparisons to make cohesion more natural and the progression more informative.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “percentage change,” “dropped significantly,” “remained constant,” and “increased.” These expressions help describe movement and are generally understandable. Some word choices and collocations are imprecise or repetitive: “reached to about” is not natural in this context, and “increased in January” does not accurately describe zinc’s movement from January to February. Repeated use of “percentage change” and “figure” also makes the account less flexible. Aim for more precise verbs such as “declined,” “recovered,” or “fluctuated,” and vary how you refer to the data while ensuring each verb matches the direction and timing shown in the graph.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses with “whereas,” “before,” and “although,” and most meanings remain clear. There are some grammatical errors, but they rarely obstruct understanding. For example, articles are missing in “in first three months” and “in last months”; “reached to about 0.5%” uses an incorrect grammatical pattern; and “remained constant before falling” has an unnecessary spacing/punctuation issue. In “remained constant for three months,” the sentence structure is sound, but the timeline is inaccurate rather than a grammar problem. Review article use with time periods and the verb pattern “reach + figure,” and proofread punctuation and spacing to improve accuracy.

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