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 graph shows the average monthly change in prices of different metals. This graph consist three metals is copper, nickel and zinc and the graph shows the data in 2014. The x-axis shows the 12 months and the y-axis shows percentage change in prices compared with previous month. The highest point of Zinc is three percentage in the month of February and the lowest point of Zinc is approximately negative one percent in the month of October. The highest point of Nickel is positive six percent in the month of January and the lowest point of Nickel is negative three percent in the month of June.In last, the highest point of Copper is positive two percent in the month of January and the lowest point of Copper is negative one percent in the month of June. Overall, this graph shows the information of price changes of Copper, Nickel and Zinc in different months.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the three metals and report several accurate extremes: zinc reaches about 3% in February and falls to around −1% in October, while nickel peaks at 6% in January and bottoms at −3% in June. However, the response only partially summarises the graph. It focuses almost entirely on highest and lowest points, with no meaningful account of the metals’ overall movements or comparisons across the year. For example, the sharp mid-year falls in nickel and zinc, followed by their recovery late in the year, are important features that are omitted. The final sentence merely restates the topic rather than giving an overview. To develop the response, describe the main stages and compare the metals’ patterns, not just their extremes.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The information is presented in a generally understandable order: you introduce the graph, describe the metals one by one, and finish with a concluding sentence. This gives the response some basic organisation. However, there is little progression from description to an overall summary, and the repeated pattern of “The highest point…” and “the lowest point…” makes the account feel like a list. The phrase “In last” does not connect the final metal description naturally, while “Overall” introduces a sentence that repeats the graph’s subject rather than synthesising its trends. Grouping the metals by shared movements—for example, their mid-year declines and late-year recoveries—and using clearer transitions would make the progression more effective.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the topic, using relevant terms such as “percentage change,” “highest point,” and “lowest point.” The metal names and month references are also clear. However, the range is limited and several expressions are repetitive or imprecise, particularly the repeated use of “point” to describe values on a line graph. “This graph consist three metals is copper” is also an awkward way to introduce the series, and “In last” is not an appropriate linking phrase. More precise graph language, such as “peaked,” “fell,” “fluctuated,” and “recovered,” would help you describe trends rather than only isolated values. Aim to vary your wording while keeping collocations natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response uses mostly short, simple sentences, and the reader can generally understand the intended meaning. There are attempts to combine information, but the range of sentence structures remains limited. Several errors are noticeable, including “This graph consist three metals is copper,” where the verb form and sentence construction are faulty, and “the highest point of Zinc is three percentage,” which has an inaccurate grammatical pattern for reporting a value. There are also missing spaces after full stops in “June.In” and “January.In.” Practise accurate structures such as “Zinc peaked at 3% in February” and “Nickel fell to −3% in June,” then combine related comparisons using clauses while checking agreement, articles, and punctuation.

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