Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The graph illustrates the average of monthly price changes in percentage of three metals in the year 2014.

Overall, the price for nickel decreased significantly till June and recoverd at the end of the year. Zinc was the cheapest metal in the beginning and became costly amoung three metals by the and of the year. Copper remained relatively stable over the the period al though saw some fluctuation over the period.

In january 2014, the price of nickel saw 6% increase from the previous month whereas zinc saw only 1% change. By february the price of nickel dropped to 4% while the price of zinc saw growth of 2%. By june the price of nickel dropped to -3% which is 9% change compared with the changes of zinc at only 4% from february. Both the metal recoverd their price and reached at -2 for nickel but zinc remained stable at 1% with some fluctuation over the period.

On the other hand, Copper saw a 2% price change at the start of the year and dropped to below0 in March which recoverd an

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main subjects and include a useful overview: nickel falls sharply before recovering, while copper is comparatively stable. However, the overview contains inaccurate or unclear comparisons: zinc was not the cheapest metal, since the graph shows percentage changes rather than metal prices, and it does not clearly become the highest by year-end. Some figures and trends are also misreported. Nickel reaches about -3% in June, but later rises to around 1% in November and December, not -2%; zinc is about 1.5% in November and 2% in December. The copper account is cut off before its later pattern is reported. Select the key highs, lows and year-end movements accurately, and avoid describing percentage changes as prices.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic paragraph structure, with an introduction, an overview and separate discussion of nickel and zinc followed by copper. This gives the reader some organisation, and phrases such as “Overall” and “On the other hand” signal relationships. However, progression is uneven: the nickel-and-zinc paragraph combines several comparisons without consistently clarifying which month or metal each figure refers to, and the final paragraph ends mid-sentence (“which recoverd an”), leaving the account incomplete. Some linking is also imprecise, as in “Both the metal recoverd their price.” Organise the body by clear trends or time periods, use explicit references to each series, and ensure each paragraph and sentence is complete.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing a graph, including “decreased significantly,” “recoverd,” “fluctuation,” and “remained relatively stable.” This shows an attempt to vary language beyond simple repetition. However, several word choices are inaccurate for the data: “cheapest” and “became costly” refer to absolute prices, whereas the graph reports monthly percentage changes. Phrases such as “recoverd their price” and “saw growth of 2%” are also awkward or unclear in this context. Spelling errors, including “january,” “february,” “recoverd,” and “amoung,” are noticeable. Use precise terms such as “monthly change,” “rose,” “fell,” and “rebounded,” and check spelling and collocations before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast with “whereas” and a time clause beginning “By february.” However, control is inconsistent, and several sentence structures are faulty or difficult to follow. For example, “which is 9% change compared with the changes of zinc at only 4% from february” lacks a clear grammatical relationship, while “Both the metal recoverd their price” has problems with number and sentence construction. The final sentence is incomplete, and errors in articles, prepositions and punctuation also occur, as in “below0” and “over the the period.” Aim for shorter, complete comparisons first, then add complex clauses only when their relationships are clear.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.