Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-17

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 given line graph illustrates the information about the average of three different metals per month which were traded in 2014. What stands out from the given data is that nickel had high value in start but it also touched the low, while zinc begin with lacking worth and ends at almost same with other metal. Initially, nickel had high value in starting month with 6% and then in next two months it started steadily decreasing and fell on 1%, in the following month it remained same. Meanwhile the very next two months are quiet hard for nickel. It fell on -3%. Afterthat in half a year it fluctuated and gone to 1%.

Secondly, copper started with 2% in January and in following six months till June, it started slowly decreased and stop at -0.5%. But from June to December, it fluctuated and stopped at 1.5%. Thirdly, zinc begin with low value among three metals with 1%. It rose in his first month and goes to 3% and after that it punched till June and ended at -1%. In the following months till end of the year, it pumped at finished at the top of the list at 2%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify several important features, especially nickel’s high starting point and sharp fall, and you report some figures accurately, such as its 6% in January and −3% in June. You also describe copper’s decline to −0.5% and later rise. However, the account is only partly complete: there is no clear overview of the metals’ shared mid-year downturn and recovery, and some trends are inaccurate or vague. For example, nickel did not fluctuate throughout the second half: it rose from −2% in October to 1% in November and stayed there in December. Zinc began at 1%, not as the lowest value overall, since copper was 2%, and its final value was 2%. Select the main patterns and report them precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic sequence, moving from nickel to copper and then zinc, and words such as “Meanwhile,” “Secondly,” and “Thirdly” help signal the shift between metals. However, the organisation is mostly a series of separate descriptions rather than a clear comparison of the graph’s main stages. The opening attempts an overview, but its meaning is difficult to follow, and the body does not consistently connect the metals’ shared decline around June with their later recovery. Some linking is also awkward or unclear, as in “Afterthat in half a year.” Use a distinct overview followed by logically grouped comparisons, and make references to months and trends explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant terms for describing movement, including “decreasing,” “fluctuated,” and “rose,” so the reader can generally recognise the trends being discussed. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or too informal for an academic graph summary. Phrases such as “punched,” “pumped,” “quiet hard,” and “lacking worth” do not naturally describe price changes and can obscure the intended meaning. “Average of three different metals per month” is also imprecise for monthly percentage changes. Aim for consistent, precise trend vocabulary and avoid metaphorical expressions. For example, describe a line as falling, recovering, remaining stable, or reaching a peak, and use “price change” rather than “worth.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to combine ideas in longer sentences, for example by using “while” and “after,” but control is inconsistent and many sentences contain errors in verb forms, agreement, or sentence construction. Examples include “zinc begin,” “it started steadily decreasing and fell on 1%,” and “it fluctuated and gone to 1%.” The sentence beginning “Meanwhile the very next two months” is also difficult to interpret grammatically. These problems sometimes make the timeline or meaning unclear. Practise accurate past-tense reporting, such as “zinc began at 1%” and “nickel fell to −3%,” and check that each sentence has a clear subject and correctly formed verb. Use shorter, controlled sentences before adding complex clauses.

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