Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The line graph illustrates the average monthly change in the values of three meterials which are copper, nickel and zinc in the year throughout the year 2014. Overall, all of the three metals landed in the end of the year in similar levels with minor variation. Nickel went through significant movement during the period with less fluctuation with the zinc. However, copper was the most stable and experienced minimal movements in the given period.

In the first half of the year, nickel has started as the most growing with 6% in January and then experienced a severe decrease reaching 1% by march. In May, nickel dropped hardly again to reach its lower peak of -3%. Zinc and copper began with close levels with around 2% for copper and 1% with zinc. Zinc had a stable climb through the first month then slowly degraded before dipping to -1 in June. Copper on the other hand decreased slowly to approximately -0.5% by June.

In the second half of the year, nickel minimally recovered and platued in July till September then increased its way to 1% by December. Zinc was generally stable from June till October before experiencing a strong lift to reach 2% in December and being the highest. Lastly, copper had an increase before platuing from July to September before stopping at the end at approximately 1.5%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main overall pattern: nickel fluctuates most, copper is comparatively stable, and all three finish at broadly similar positive levels. The response also covers both halves of the year and includes relevant figures, such as nickel’s January high and June low. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: nickel reaches -3% in June, not May, and its recovery is not simply a rise from July onward, since it remains around -1% through September before falling again in October. The overview’s claim that zinc is less fluctuating than nickel is sound, but the ending comparison that zinc is highest in December overlooks that copper is about 1.5% and zinc about 2%. More precise reporting and clearer selection of key comparisons would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response has a clear structure: an introduction and overview are followed by separate descriptions of the first and second halves of the year. This gives the reader a logical route through the data, and transitions such as “On the other hand” and “In the second half of the year” help signal comparisons and stages. Some links between ideas are less smooth, however. For example, the sentence beginning “Zinc and copper began with close levels” moves quickly from their starting points to later trends, while the nickel account contains a confusing sequence around May and June. A few connectors, including “Lastly,” feel more like a list than a comparison. Grouping metals by shared rises and falls, and using clearer references to months, would make progression more flexible and precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for describing trends, including “significant movement,” “stable,” “decreased,” “recovered,” and “platued.” These choices generally make the graph’s main movements understandable, and you attempt some less common expressions. However, several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unnatural: “landed in the end of the year,” “most growing,” “dropped hardly,” and “lower peak” do not describe the data idiomatically. “Meterials” is also misspelled, and “platued” is misspelled twice. These errors do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision and control. Prefer standard graph language such as “ended the year,” “recorded the largest increase,” “fell sharply,” and “reached a low.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including contrast structures such as “Copper, on the other hand…” and time clauses that organise the account. Most sentences remain understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. The opening phrase “in the year throughout the year 2014” is redundant and awkwardly formed, while “Zinc and copper began with close levels … with zinc” lacks a clear parallel structure. Tense control is also inconsistent: “nickel has started” shifts into the present perfect, whereas the rest of the report mainly uses past forms. In “before stopping at the end,” the subject and meaning are unclear. Use consistent past tense for the completed year and check sentence structure, articles, and punctuation when joining comparisons.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.