Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-28

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 proportions of average monthly changes in the prices of copper , nickel and zinc in 2014 .

Overall, initially there was positive changes in the prices but later it started to fluctuate in negative proportions. The highest changes in the prices were in nickel while the least changes were seen in copper.

In the beginning of a year, the change in nichel was the highest at 6% which was changed by 1% in march . There was change of 2% from january to february . Prices of copper declined by 1% in the same . In june there was massive negative decline in nichel and zinc by nearly 4% and 2% respectively. While the prices of copper remained constant by -0.5% from the previous month . From july to october there was no change in prices of all three metals . As the proportions declined in october and rose rapidly in november except copper . In december , changes in nickel remained constant . While that of zinc and copper inclined 1% and 0.5% respectively .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the three metals and give an overview of the broad pattern, including nickel’s high starting point and copper’s comparatively small changes. Several details are also relevant, such as nickel’s sharp fall in June and the recovery in November. However, the overview is not fully accurate: the metals do not all move into negative territory later, since nickel and zinc rise again, and copper remains mostly positive. The claim that there was “no change” from July to October is incorrect; the lines are stable for stretches, but nickel and zinc change in October and copper changes slightly. Some comparisons and monthly movements are therefore unclear or misreported. A more precise overview and carefully selected, accurate comparisons would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph describing monthly details. It also uses time markers such as “In the beginning of a year,” “In June,” and “In December” to guide the reader through the graph. However, the progression becomes difficult to follow when several months and metals are compressed into long sentences. For example, “As the proportions declined in October and rose rapidly in November except copper” does not clearly identify which metals follow each movement. Some linking words are also awkwardly attached, as in the sentence beginning “While the prices of copper…”. Grouping the early-year trends, mid-year falls, and year-end recovery into clearer stages would improve cohesion and make comparisons easier to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “declined,” “remained constant,” “negative,” and “rose rapidly,” and the reader can generally understand the intended trends. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “proportions” and “massive negative decline.” However, some choices are imprecise or unnatural for describing percentage changes: “proportions” is not the best term here, and “massive negative decline” is redundant. “Inclined” is also not the appropriate verb for prices rising, while “no change” misrepresents the data rather than describing it precisely. Spelling errors such as “nichel” and “january” further reduce accuracy. Prefer concise, standard graph language and check spelling of key terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. Some sentences are grammatically controlled, such as “Prices of copper declined by 1% in the same.” However, there are recurring errors in agreement, articles, and sentence construction. For example, “there was positive changes” should use a plural verb, and “In the beginning of a year” needs a more appropriate article or phrasing. The sentence “As the proportions declined in October and rose rapidly in November except copper” is incomplete or poorly connected, while several clauses beginning with “While” are left as fragments. Punctuation and spacing around commas and full stops are also inconsistent. Review agreement and ensure each sentence has a complete, clearly linked main clause.

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