Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-30

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 5.0)

The given graph is illustrating the price hike and drop percentage in 2014 of three different metals including Copper, Nickel and Zinc.

In January, there is huge price hike of Nickel at 6%. The prices of Nickel drop down from January to March to 1% only which remain constant till April. Then it decreases 3% till June. Sudden rise in price can be seen from June to July upto 2% which remain constant for the next three months which rises upto 3% in the end of the year.

The prices of Copper decreases from 3% to 1% from February to June which remain constant for the next three months. Than it again hikes like Nickel upto 2%.

There is not much flactuation in the prices of Copper as compared to other metals. It gradually decreases in from January to March and hiked again from June to July and almost remain same but with little difference till the end of years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the three metals and report some relevant movements, especially nickel’s high January figure and its fall to around 1% by March. However, the account is incomplete and several key details are inaccurate. The description of nickel after June reverses the graph: it rises from about -3% to -1%, then remains negative until October, before reaching about 1% in November and December—not 2% in July and 3% at year-end. Copper also starts at about 2%, not 3%, and ends near 1.5%. Zinc is not described at all, and there is no clear overview comparing the metals’ overall patterns. To strengthen the response, summarise the main contrasts first, then report accurate, selective details for all three series.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has some organisation: it begins with an introduction and then gives separate paragraphs about nickel and copper. This makes parts of the account easy to follow. However, there is no clear overall progression from an overview to supporting details, and zinc is omitted, leaving the comparison unfinished. Linking is also repetitive and sometimes unclear, particularly the repeated use of “which remain constant” and the sequence “Then it decreases 3% till June.” The final paragraph repeats the copper trend rather than adding a new comparison. Use a concise overview after the introduction, organise the details by meaningful periods or metals, and use clear references such as “the figure” or “the rate” to avoid ambiguous pronouns.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of trend vocabulary, including “decreases,” “gradually,” “constant,” and “fluctuation,” so the main topic is generally understandable. Some choices, however, are informal or imprecise for describing a line graph: “price hike,” “drop down,” and “hikes” are less suitable than neutral reporting verbs such as “rose” and “fell.” “Huge” also overstates the description, while “fluctuation” is misspelled as “flactuation.” There are repeated phrases such as “remain constant,” and “price” is sometimes used where “monthly percentage change” would be more precise. Build a more controlled set of graph terms and check spelling and collocations; this would make the account clearer and more appropriately academic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and most of the intended meaning can be understood. However, errors in verb forms, agreement, and sentence construction recur. For example, “which remain constant” should be “which remained constant,” and “which rises upto 3%” needs a consistent past-tense form such as “rising to.” The sentence “Then it decreases 3% till June” is grammatically incomplete or unclear; specify that the rate fell by three percentage points or reached -3%. There are also awkward constructions such as “it gradually decreases in from January to March.” Use past tense consistently for the completed year, check subject–verb agreement, and vary sentence patterns while keeping each comparison grammatically complete.

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