Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-19

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 Line graph illustrates the fluctuation in the average prices of three metals monthly in 2014.

Overall, while the prices of nickle has decline at the end of period,the prices of zinc was increased and the prices of copper remained almost similar to its price at the beginning of year.

At the starting of year (in Jan), the price of nickle was exponentially high (6%), these price rapidly decreased to 1% in the month of May, with further reduction in price it plummeted to -3% in June.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies the graph’s subject and gives an overview, noting that copper stayed broadly similar and zinc rose towards the end. It also reports nickel’s early fall, including the approximate January peak and June low. However, the task is addressed only minimally: the account stops after describing nickel and gives no month-by-month or comparative detail for copper and zinc, nor the later movements in nickel. The overview is also imprecise: nickel did not simply decline at the end, since it recovered to about 1% in November and December. The response is 87 words, below the required 150. To develop the report, cover the main stages for all three metals and compare their peaks, troughs and year-end changes.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is a basic, understandable structure: an opening sentence, an overview, and then a detail paragraph about nickel. The sequence from the general picture to a specific series is appropriate, and the time references in the final paragraph help the reader follow the movement. However, the response ends abruptly after June, so the progression through the year and across all three metals is incomplete. Connections between ideas are also limited; for example, the nickel paragraph could contrast its sharp fall with the more moderate changes in copper and zinc. Use clear paragraphing for the overview and the main comparisons, then organise details chronologically or by metal, with linking phrases such as “by contrast” and “in the final months” where they clarify relationships.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses some suitable graph-reporting vocabulary, including “fluctuation,” “decreased,” and “plummeted,” and the percentage figures make the description specific. There is some range in the verbs used to describe change. However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural: “exponentially high” does not describe a value of 6% appropriately, and “the price of nickel” is less precise than “the monthly percentage change in nickel’s price,” since the graph shows changes rather than absolute prices. “At the starting of year” is also an awkward phrase, and “nickle” is misspelled. Aim for precise terms such as “rose,” “fell,” “recovered,” and “remained stable,” and use them to distinguish the metals’ different patterns.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes a few sentence forms, including a contrast clause beginning “while” and a longer sentence describing nickel’s movement. The main meaning is generally recoverable, but errors in agreement and verb forms are noticeable. For example, “the prices of nickle has decline” should use a plural verb and a correct participle, while “the prices of zinc was increased” has an agreement problem and an unnatural passive construction. The phrase “these price rapidly decreased” also has a number error, and the final sentence has a comma splice between “May” and “with further reduction.” Check subject–verb agreement, past-tense forms, and sentence boundaries. Shorter, accurately controlled sentences would help make the comparisons clearer.

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