Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

This graph illustrates the average monthly change in the prices of three metals namely copper, nickel, and zinc during the year 2014.

Overall, the mean monthly price of all metals moved up and down through out the year but ended up close to each other between 1% to 2% by December 2014.

The average change in price of nickel remained the highest across the year as it was at 6% in January, dropped down drastically to -3% in June then got stable at -1% from July to September but closed at 1%. While zinc showed some sharp changes as well, as it started at 1% in January, climed to 3% in February then dropped to -1% in June but finished quiet strongly at 2% in December.

On the other hand, percent change in price of copper remained relatively stable between 2% and -1% from start to finish while being maximum at the start and minimum in June at -1%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the graph and cover all three metals, with relevant figures such as nickel’s January peak of 6% and June low of -3%, and zinc’s rise to 3% in February. The overview also notes that the metals finished in a similar positive range. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: nickel was not the highest throughout the year, since copper and zinc exceeded it in several later months, and copper’s minimum was about -0.5%, not -1%. The description of copper’s range also misses its monthly pattern. The response is one word below the 150-word minimum; add a concise comparison or clarify a trend while correcting these points.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing nickel and zinc before copper. This makes the information easy to follow, and phrases such as “Overall” and “On the other hand” help signal the organisation. However, the comparison between metals is limited, and the final paragraph feels somewhat detached from the preceding discussion. The sentence beginning “While zinc showed…” is also joined awkwardly to the previous sentence, making the relationship between the points less smooth. To improve progression, group metals by shared trends or compare their rises and falls directly, and use linking phrases only where they clarify the relationship between ideas.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “average monthly change,” “dropped,” “stable,” and “finished,” so the main trends are generally understandable. There are also attempts at more descriptive wording, such as “dropped down drastically” and “closed at.” Some choices are imprecise or unnatural for a formal graph summary: “mean monthly price” suggests the price level rather than the monthly percentage change, while “maximum” and “minimum” are less natural here than “highest” and “lowest.” Spelling errors such as “climed” and “quiet” for “quite” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise trend language and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex forms, including the overview sentence with “but” and the contrast introduced by “While.” Most meaning remains clear, and the response includes past-tense reporting appropriate to the chart. Some grammatical and punctuation issues remain. The opening sentence would read more cleanly with commas around “namely”; “through out” should be written as one word, and the sentence beginning “While zinc…” is a fragment when attached with a comma to the preceding sentence. The phrase “between 1% to 2%” also uses an incorrect paired construction; use “between 1% and 2%.” Review sentence boundaries and common preposition patterns while retaining your varied sentence structures.

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