Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-29

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 given diagram depicts, the average monthly change in the price of three metals during 2014.

Overall, it is clearly seen that, the three metals experienced fluctuations over the year, nickel showed the highest dramatic changes, whereas copper and zinc remained relatively stable.

To begin with, the element nickel has highest change in price in januaury was 6%. however in the march the price dropped to 1%. Again there was a variations from april to june near 1% to -3%. Also, by the month of july to september it remains unchanged -1%, but by the end of the year it reaches to 1%.

Furthermore, zinc and copper followed a similar trend but with less variations. For instance, copper stayed mostly between -1% and +1%, showing minimal fluctuation. The prices of all metals rose slightly, reaching around 1% increase in December.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main overall contrast: nickel fluctuated most, while copper and zinc were comparatively steadier. You also report several accurate details, including nickel’s January peak of 6%, its fall to 1% in March, and its -1% level from July to September. However, coverage is partial and some key trends are underdeveloped: zinc’s rise to 3% in February and its recovery to 2% in December are omitted, while copper’s December figure is about 1.5%, not simply part of a general 1% rise. The claim that all metals reached around 1% in December is inaccurate. The response is also 10 words below the required minimum. Include a fuller comparison of the metals’ mid-year falls and year-end recovery.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear basic structure: an introduction and overview are followed by a paragraph on nickel and one on copper and zinc. This makes the main progression easy to follow, and linking phrases such as “To begin with” and “Furthermore” help signal the shift between points. However, the final paragraph groups two metals without giving enough separate detail about either, and the concluding claim about all three metals is not well supported by the preceding information. Some transitions feel mechanical, particularly “Again” and “Also,” and the sequence from April to June could be expressed more clearly. Organise the body around comparable stages or describe each metal’s key movement more distinctly, using references that make the comparisons explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “fluctuations,” “remained relatively stable,” “dropped,” and “reaching,” so the reader can understand the general trends. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are awkward: “highest dramatic changes” is unnatural, “there was a variations” is incorrect, and “the element nickel” is not an appropriate way to refer to the metal. There is also a spelling error in “januaury.” Repeated reliance on general terms such as “change,” “price,” and “similar trend” limits precision, especially when describing the different movements of zinc and copper. Use accurate trend language such as “peaked,” “declined,” “recovered,” and “remained stable,” and check spelling and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, and the overall meaning is usually understandable. However, some grammatical errors remain, including missing articles in “nickel has highest change” and “in the march,” an incorrect construction in “there was a variations,” and inconsistent tense in “it remains unchanged” and “it reaches.” Punctuation also needs attention: the opening comma after “depicts” is unnecessary, and “however” should not begin a sentence with a lowercase letter. Several sentences join ideas with commas where a full stop or conjunction would be clearer. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and article use, and build longer sentences with controlled clauses—for example, “Nickel fell to 1% in March before dropping to -3% in June.”

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