Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-22

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 5.5)

The line graph shows the average monthly change in the prices of three mentals copper, nickel and zinc during 2014.

Overall, the price of nickel was 6% from the beginning of january, which was significantly higher among the other metals. Whereas, zinc had the lowest price around 1% from the start however it rose gradually and came on top compaired to the others.

Firstly, nickel was on top of the prices however it took a sharp decline just making about 1% at the end of 2014. Then comes copper which was 2% from the start, which then slightly decreased to 1.5%. In contrast, zinc had the lowest percentage from the start but at the end of the year it rose up to 2%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the three metals and give a broad overview, noting nickel’s high starting point and zinc’s rise to finish above the others. However, the response only partially reports the graph: it omits the substantial mid-year falls, especially nickel’s drop to about -3% in June, and does not describe the later recovery of nickel and zinc. Some details are inaccurate or unclear: nickel did not remain “on top” throughout, and copper ended at about 1.5%, rather than declining to that level from its starting value of 2% after a more complex pattern. The response is 113 words, below the required 150; the 10 words copied from the prompt are excluded. Add key stages and accurate comparisons to develop the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and a final paragraph with comparisons. This gives the reader a general sense of the topic, and sequencing phrases such as “Overall,” “Firstly,” and “In contrast” help signal relationships. However, progression is limited because the final paragraph repeats points already made in the overview, while important stages in the year are not organised into a clear account. “Whereas” begins a fragment-like contrast, and “Then comes copper” is an abrupt transition that does not clearly connect the data. Group the metals or time periods more systematically, and use linking expressions to show how the trends change rather than simply listing comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant graph vocabulary, including “sharp decline,” “gradually,” “percentage,” and “compared to,” so the main topic is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or awkward for describing percentage changes. “The price of nickel was 6%” confuses the price level with the monthly change, while “came on top” is informal and unclear. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “mentals,” “compaired,” and “january.” Aim for precise terms such as “monthly price change,” “rose to,” and “recorded the highest figure,” and check spelling carefully. More varied, accurate trend language would make the comparisons clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some longer sentence forms, including a contrast with “Whereas” and a relative clause in “which then slightly decreased.” However, these structures are often not controlled successfully. “Whereas, zinc had the lowest price…” is not a complete, well-formed contrast in this context, and “Then comes copper which was 2% from the start, which then…” creates an awkward, repetitive clause structure. The sentence beginning “Overall” also joins contrasting ideas with “however” in a way that makes the relationship unclear. Most sentences communicate the general meaning, but errors in sentence construction and punctuation sometimes make the data difficult to follow. Use shorter, complete sentences and check that each contrast has a clear grammatical structure.

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