Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-27

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 information about average monthly alter in prices of three metals (cooper,nickel and zinc) in 2014.

Overall, nickel accounted for the significant price drop throughout the period.

Nickel, its price shows a rapid drop from Janaury to march from 6% to only 1% respectively then remains stable till April, in May its price shows a steady drop below 1% then again in June its ratio fell to -3%. In July its its price showed a upward trend at -1% then remain same for next 2 months, after a drop of 1% its price increased significantly and stands at 1% in december.

Copper, its price showed slight down trend from Janaury to June 2% to below 0% respectively then showed upward trend till september then again its price dropped slightly to november and then again showed increase in price and stable at just below 2% in december 2014.

Zinc, after showing a rapid increase in price in Febraury at 3% its prices continously faced down-fall till June at -1%, after silght increase for 3 months its price remain fell at -1%. Onward October its price showed significant increase and stable at 2% In December 2014

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover all three metals and report several important movements, including nickel’s fall from 6% in January to −3% in June and the metals’ recovery towards the end of the year. The overview identifies nickel’s major decline, but “throughout the period” is too broad: nickel rises from −2% in October to 1% in November and December. Some details are also unclear or inaccurate. For example, copper is around 1% from July to September, rather than showing a clear upward trend throughout that stage, and zinc falls to about −0.5% after June before reaching −1% in October. A more balanced overview comparing the metals’ contrasting patterns, followed by precise key figures, would make the report more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for nickel, copper, and zinc. This makes the three series easy to locate, and time markers such as “in June,” “in July,” and “Onward October” help show sequence. However, the overview is brief and does not establish a clear comparison among all three metals. Some sentences also contain many events joined together, particularly the nickel paragraph, so the reader has to work to follow the changes. Repeated use of “then” and “after” makes the progression somewhat mechanical. Grouping the shared mid-year decline and late-year recovery, and using clearer sentence breaks and comparisons, would improve the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “stable,” “upward trend,” “drop,” and “increase,” and the reader can generally understand the intended movements. However, the range and control are uneven. Several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “average monthly alter,” “accounted for the significant price drop,” and “its ratio fell,” while “down-fall” and “rapid increase in price” are awkward in context. Spelling errors—including “cooper,” “Janaury,” “continously,” and “silght”—also reduce precision. Aim for standard reporting phrases such as “monthly percentage change,” “recorded the sharpest fall,” and “the figure declined.” More accurate, varied vocabulary would make the account clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, and the sequence of changes is usually understandable. However, some sentences are overloaded or have faulty structures, as in “Nickel, its price shows a rapid drop … then remains stable,” where the opening noun phrase is not properly connected to the clause. There are also errors in tense and agreement: “its price shows” shifts into the present, while “its price remain same” lacks the required verb form and article. Punctuation is inconsistent, with long comma-linked sequences and missing spaces after commas. Use a consistent past tense, form complete clauses, and divide each metal’s changes into shorter sentences. These adjustments would improve accuracy while preserving your useful range of sentence patterns.

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