Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-25

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 4.5)

The graph which is given below, illustrates the proportion of monthly price changes of three metals in 2014. We will analyse the information by choosing and reporting its key components, making the contrast where needed.

Overall, the most marked decline was experienced by Nickel, but then remained relatively stable. While the most noticeable trend was the the less fluctuations of Copper.

To begin with the most striking feature of Zinc which risen from one to three then it experienced gradual downfall which stoped at minus one during the month of January. In contrast the Copper rised from 2 and faced gradual decline, they emerged to approximately under 2 at the end of the year.

However at the end the nickle

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response identifies the metals and attempts an overview, noting nickel’s decline and copper’s comparatively small fluctuations. However, the account is incomplete and several details do not match the graph: zinc rises from about 1% to 3% in February, but its later fall reaches around −1% in October, not January. Copper does not simply decline from 2%; it falls to about −0.5% in May and June, then recovers, ending near 1.5%. The final sentence about nickel is unfinished, so its major movement and year-end recovery are not reported. The response also falls short of the required 150 words. To improve, give a complete overview and accurately compare the metals’ main peaks, troughs and later changes.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is a basic attempt to organise the response into an introduction, an overview and detail paragraphs, and phrases such as “Overall,” “To begin with” and “In contrast” signal relationships between points. However, progression is difficult to follow because the comparisons are not developed in a clear sequence, and the final paragraph stops at “However at the end the nickle,” leaving the discussion incomplete. Some linking is also awkward: “To begin with the most striking feature of Zinc” does not lead smoothly into the sentence, while “In contrast” introduces a copper description without a clear comparison. Use separate, complete paragraphs for the overview and the main data, and group the metals’ movements by shared stages of the year.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response shows some useful range for describing trends, including “decline,” “fluctuations,” “gradual downfall” and “approximately.” These choices show an attempt to use task-specific vocabulary rather than relying only on basic terms. However, several expressions are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “the proportion of monthly price changes,” “the less fluctuations,” and “emerged to approximately under 2.” Spelling errors in “stoped” and “nickle” also reduce accuracy. Choose standard collocations for graph descriptions and use precise terms for rises, falls and stability. For example, describe a value as “fell to” a figure or “remained relatively stable,” rather than using unclear phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts some complex sentence forms, including the contrast introduced by “While” and the clause beginning “which risen.” However, control is uneven, and errors sometimes make the intended meaning difficult to follow. Examples include “Zinc which risen,” where the verb form is incomplete, and “the Copper rised from 2 and faced gradual decline, they emerged,” which combines clauses without clear grammatical links and shifts the pronoun reference. The overview also contains the repeated article in “the the less fluctuations.” Aim first for accurate simple sentences, then add subordinate clauses with correct verb forms and clear subjects. Check that each sentence is complete and that pronouns refer unambiguously to the metal being described.

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