Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-24

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 chart illustrates the monthly price changes of three various metal in the year 2014.

It is clear that the highest proportion of price change of copper. By contrast, monthly change in price of nickel was lowest.

Looking at the graph in more detail, the change in price of copper was at 2% in January. However, in the next five months of the year the copper price was slightly decreased compared with january. In july the price was increased for almost 1% rather than previous month and still same proportion for next three months. In addition, in the end of the year the copper price was at 1.5%.

For the remaining figures, nickel and zinc prices was highest in the begining of the year. Furthermore, in the middle of the year nickel and zinc prices was decreased. Also, in the end of the year the prices of these metals was fluctuated and increased at 1% and 2%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the three metals and give some relevant figures, including copper at 2% in January and 1.5% in December, and the late-year rises for nickel and zinc. However, the overview is unclear and partly inaccurate: copper did not have the highest change overall, since nickel reached about 6% in January, and nickel was not consistently the lowest. The response also misses the main contrast between nickel’s sharp fall to around -3% in June and the more moderate movements of copper and zinc. Some details are too general, such as saying the metals were highest at the beginning and fluctuated at year-end, without distinguishing their different patterns. A clearer overview and more accurate comparisons would make the report more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a brief overview, and two paragraphs describing the data. This gives the reader a basic route through the report, and phrases such as “By contrast” and “Looking at the graph in more detail” signal shifts in focus. However, progression is weakened by broad statements that group nickel and zinc together even when their figures differ, and the overview does not prepare the reader for the details that follow. Some linking is mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “In addition,” “Furthermore,” and “Also.” Organise the body around clear trends—for example, copper’s relatively small changes versus the larger swings in nickel and zinc—and use comparisons to connect the figures more precisely.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “monthly price changes,” “proportion,” “decreased,” and “fluctuated,” so the topic is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which makes parts of the report sound unnatural. For example, “three various metal” is not an appropriate way to describe the commodities, and “the highest proportion of price change” is unclear. “The price was increased” and “still same proportion” also do not express the trends naturally. There are spelling errors in “january” and “begining.” Aim for precise trend language such as “rose,” “fell,” “remained stable,” and “recovered,” and check spelling and noun forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple statements and longer sentences, including clauses introduced by “However” and “Furthermore.” The basic meaning is usually recoverable, but errors in agreement, articles, and verb forms occur across the response. Examples include “three various metal,” “nickel and zinc prices was,” and “the copper price was slightly decreased”; these should use correct plural agreement and more suitable active verb forms. The sentence “It is clear that the highest proportion of price change of copper” is also incomplete because it lacks a clear main clause. There is some control of basic sentence patterns, but complex attempts are not consistently accurate. Practise complete overview sentences and past-tense trend descriptions, while checking subject–verb agreement and articles.

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