Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-26

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 illustrates the changes in amount of three different metals namely copper, nickel and zinc in typical month in 2014. The data is calibrated in the form of percentage.

Overall, the zinc accounted for high amount by december,while nichel became the least. Although,the conseriable downfall was experienced by the nickel throughout the given year.

At the first glance,nickel was stood at 6% in january afterward the faced a dramatic decrease and placed at below than the value of copper and zinc. Moreover it increase slightly from october to december at 1%. Meanwhile, the price of zinc began at 1% faced a decline where price was same in june and october which was -1%. The rate zinc increase and placing at above that nickel and copper at 2%.

Moving towards the remaining data, copper rate halved till june at below than 0% afther it followed different patterns and increased at 2% , making it expensive metal by december.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the three metals and describe several relevant movements, including nickel’s high starting point, its sharp fall, and the late-year recovery in zinc. However, the overview is not fully accurate: nickel did not decline throughout the year, since it rose from -2% in October to 1% in November, and copper ended at about 1.5%, not 2% or the highest rate. The claim that zinc was highest in December is also incorrect; zinc was around 2%, above the other metals, so this comparison is valid, but copper’s stated final figure conflicts with it. Some key stages are underdeveloped, and the account would be clearer with accurate comparisons across the year.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details about nickel and zinc, then copper. This gives the reader some organisation, and phrases such as “Meanwhile” and “Moving towards” signal transitions. However, progression is uneven: the overview makes claims that are not consistently supported in the detail, and the final paragraph introduces copper’s trend without clearly connecting it to the earlier comparisons. Some linking is mechanical or awkward, while references such as “the value” and “the rate” are not always precise. Grouping the metals by shared stages—early changes, mid-year falls, and late recovery—would create a clearer progression and make comparisons easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “dramatic decrease,” “decline,” and “increased,” and the reader can generally identify the intended trends. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the meaning difficult to follow. For example, “changes in amount” is not a natural description of price movements, “accounted for high amount” is unclear, and “making it expensive metal” does not accurately express a percentage change. Spelling errors such as “nichel,” “conseriable,” and “afther” also reduce precision. Use standard terms such as “price change,” “rose,” “fell,” and “recorded,” and check spelling and collocations carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

There are attempts to use complex sentences, particularly with “Although” and “where,” but many sentence patterns are faulty, and errors sometimes make relationships between ideas unclear. Examples include “the nickel was stood at 6%,” “afterward the faced a dramatic decrease,” and “the rate zinc increase and placing,” which show problems with verb forms, sentence construction, and missing grammatical elements. Articles and punctuation are also inconsistent, as in “at the first glance” and the missing space after commas. Most sentences need more reliable control of basic structures before adding complexity. Practise forming clear subject–verb sentences, then combine them with accurate clauses such as “After falling sharply, nickel recovered to 1% in November.”

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