Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The given line chart illustrates the monthly rate changes of three metals during 2014.

Overall, the graph consists three metal types (copper,zinc,nickel). Nickel started from the top, but at last, it went down towards the last in terms of overall percentage among all. Copper trends were fluctuating over the months, and zinc had a slight increase at first but it remain stable in between, later in the end zinc percentages were increased.

At the beginning (January), Nickel started its position with 6%, Copper and Zinc both started around 2% and 1% respectively. After the one month, Nickel and Copper both were declining, but Zinc had an increase of 3%. The trend showed decrease for all three metals between March and June, and Nickel, Copper and Zinc fell upto -3%, 0.5% and -1% respectively.

In the month of July, all of three were recovered their decline and gained upward trends again in July, between July and September all the three types of metals remained stable. In October, the growth was decreasing again for Nickel (-2%), Zinc (0.7%) and Copper (-1%). From November to december, it showed positive trends again. At the end in December, Nickel rose upto 1%, while copper and zinc gained their percentages nearly at 1.5% and 2% respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall pattern: nickel begins highest and later falls, while all three metals recover towards the end of the year. You also include several relevant figures, such as nickel at 6% in January and the December values. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear. Copper and zinc began at about 2% and 1%, not “both started around 2%”; the March-to-June description gives copper as 0.5% rather than its June value of about -0.5%; and the October figures for copper and zinc are reversed or incorrect. The overview also says nickel went “down towards the last,” which is vague, and the claim that all three remained stable from July to September overlooks nickel’s movement in November only later. Select the key highs, lows and turning points more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear four-part structure: introduction, overview, early-year details and later-year details. Time markers such as “At the beginning,” “In the month of July” and “From November to December” help the reader follow the chronology, and the information is generally presented in a sensible order. This meets the lower-band expectation of an overall coherent arrangement and shows some stronger progression. To make the organisation more fluent, avoid repeating “in July” and group comparisons around shared movements rather than narrating each month mechanically. Some references are also unclear: “it went down towards the last” and “it showed positive trends again” do not clearly identify the metal or metals. More precise linking and reference would make the progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of chart vocabulary, including “declining,” “remained stable,” “recovered” and “upward trends,” so the main movements can be understood. There are also attempts at more specific language, such as “monthly rate changes” and “percentage.” However, several choices are awkward or imprecise: “started its position,” “gained their percentages” and “went down towards the last” do not express the intended comparisons naturally. “Growth” is also not the best description of a negative monthly change. These issues do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision and naturalness. Use standard graph collocations such as “stood at,” “fell to,” “rose by” and “recorded a decline,” while ensuring the chosen verb matches the direction of change.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast with “but” and a time clause beginning “After the one month.” The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “the graph consists three metal types” needs “consists of,” while “it remain stable” has a subject–verb agreement error. “All of three were recovered their decline” has an incorrect verb pattern, and “Nickel, Copper and Zinc fell upto…” is not a well-formed comparison. Articles and sentence punctuation also need attention, as in “After the one month” and the comma splice in “At the end in December, Nickel rose…” Practise accurate verb patterns and agreement, and proofread sentence boundaries and capitalisation.

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