Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The line graph illustrates the average monthly percentage changes in the prices of copper, nickle and zinc throughout the 2014.

Overall, nicke experienced the most significant fluctuations, while copper remain relatively stable. All three metals showed a recovery towards the end of the year.

Nickle recorded as the highest increase at 6% in january, which is followed by the copper at 2% and zinc at 1%. Nickle figure fell sharply, reaching 1% in March and February before dropping to its lowest at 3% in June. Then it remain in negative figure until October, When it fell down to 2% but it recovered to 1% in November and December. Copper declined gradually from 2% in January to approximately -0.5 in May and June. However it recovered to 1% between July and September before slightly fluctauting towards the end of the year. Zinc was peaked in February then it declined steadily before recovering to 1% and recovered towards the end of the year

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You provide a relevant overview by identifying nickel as the most volatile metal and copper as comparatively stable, and you describe the broad late-year recovery. Several key figures are also reported accurately, including nickel’s January peak and copper’s early decline. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate: nickel fell to 1% in March and April, not “March and February,” and its lowest point was −3% in June; the phrase “fell down to 2%” in October should indicate −2%. The zinc account is especially underdeveloped: it peaked in February, fell to negative values from June, and rose to 2% by December, but these stages are not clearly quantified. More precise comparisons across the year would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall shape: an introduction, a separate overview, and a paragraph describing the monthly details. This gives the reader a sensible route through the information, and transitions such as “Overall,” “However,” and “before” help connect changes. At times, though, the progression becomes difficult to follow because several months are compressed into one sentence, as in the account of nickel’s fall and recovery. The zinc description ends abruptly and does not explain its middle-year decline, so the final section feels less complete. Use clearer chronological grouping and make each sentence’s time reference explicit; this would reduce ambiguity and make the comparisons easier to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “fluctuations,” “declined gradually,” “recovered,” and “relatively stable.” These choices communicate the main movements, and some variation avoids repeating “increased” and “decreased.” However, several spelling and word-choice problems reduce precision: “nickle” is repeatedly misspelled, “fluctauting” is misspelled, and “fell down to” is an awkward way to describe a figure reaching a value. “Nickle recorded as the highest increase” is also an imprecise collocation. Aim for accurate forms such as “nickel,” and use standard graph language such as “reached a low of” or “rose to.” More precise vocabulary would help distinguish a fall in the percentage change from a fall in the metal’s price.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses with “while,” “before,” and “which,” and the main message is generally understandable. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly with verb forms and agreement: “copper remain” should be “copper remained,” “it remain” should be “it remained,” and “Zinc was peaked” should be “Zinc peaked.” The opening also needs the article “the” before “2014,” while “Nickle recorded as the highest increase” lacks a grammatical structure such as “Nickel recorded the highest increase.” Capitalisation after commas is inconsistent, as in “October, When.” Review past-tense reporting and sentence construction, while retaining your attempts at varied clauses, to improve accuracy.

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