Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-23

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 compares the average monthly change in the costs of three metals: copper, nickel and zinc during 2014.

Overall, the cost of all three metals saw a major fluctuation and the price compared with the first month were drastically decreased in december.

In the former six months, nickel was most priced metal at 6%, followed by copper at 2% and than zinc at 1% only. All three metals saw a major deduction in the price in march whereas their was a slight increase in prices of zinc in februrary. However, their was sudden lose of price in June compared with previou months.

In the latter six months, all three metals prices stayed consistent from July to September where copper was the most priced at 1%, zinc was at nearly at 0% and nickel was at -1%. Again their was sudden deduction of price in the month of october but than the cost rosed and all three metals prices were incresed with zinc 2% rosed followed by copper prices rose upto 1% and nickel prices rose 1%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the three metals and give a broad overview that their monthly changes fluctuated, then describe the first and second halves of the year. However, the overview is not accurate: prices did not all decrease by December. Copper and zinc ended higher, at about 1.5% and 2%, while nickel finished at 1%. Several details are also misreported. In March, copper was around 0.5% and zinc 2%, so all three did not fall; the sharpest June drop was nickel, at about -3%. Your July–September account is broadly sound, but zinc was around -0.5%, not nearly 0%. Select the main peaks, troughs and year-end recovery more accurately to make the summary complete and clear.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for the first and second halves of the year. Time markers such as “In the former six months” and “In the latter six months” help the reader follow the sequence, and “However” and “Again” signal changes. This coherent structure is a strength. Some links are less effective, though: “However” does not clearly connect the preceding March claim to the June fall, and repeated “their was” makes the referencing unclear. The final sentence also strings several movements together, making the comparisons harder to follow. Use more precise links and divide that sentence into shorter comparisons to improve progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a line graph, including “fluctuation,” “slight increase,” “consistent,” and “followed by.” This gives you a workable range for the task. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or repetitive: “cost” and “most priced metal” are not natural ways to describe percentage changes in prices, while “major deduction” and “sudden lose of price” obscure the intended meaning. Spelling errors such as “februrary,” “previou,” “incresed,” and “rosed” also reduce precision. Build a more accurate set of trend expressions and check spelling and word forms; this will make the data easier to understand.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, for example, “Overall, the cost of all three metals…” and the sentence beginning “In the latter six months…”. However, control is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to read. Examples include “the price … were drastically decreased,” “their was,” and “all three metals prices stayed consistent,” which show problems with agreement, verb forms and possessives. The long final sentence also lacks clear grammatical control as it joins several clauses and repeats “rose.” Practise accurate subject–verb agreement and past-tense forms, and use shorter sentences when reporting several figures. This will improve clarity while retaining some complex structures.

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

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