Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-31

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 compared the change in prices of copper, nickel and zinc with previous month in the year 2014.

Overall, nickle experienced a dramatic fall in prices with the lowest percentage in comparison to zinc had a significant surge with highest percentage by the end of the year 2014. However, copper prices gradually increased and decreased throughout the year. Unit of mesurement is in percentage.

To begin with, nickel had the highest percentage in January 6%; however the prices precentage dramatically declined to -3% in June and then rose to 1% in December. In comparison to nickel, zinc had the lowest percentage 1% in January, but it declined to -1% by June after that it had the significant change in prices, 2%, making the metal with highest percentage by the end of 2014.

Additionally, copper initally was at 2% experienced a gradually rise and fall through out the year, and had the percentage of 1.5% in December.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall pattern: nickel starts highest and falls sharply, while all three metals recover towards the end of the year. The key figures for nickel (6% in January and about −3% in June) and zinc (about −1% in June and 2% in December) are accurately reported. However, the overview is unclear when it says nickel had “the lowest percentage” and zinc had the “highest percentage”: nickel reaches the lowest point in June, whereas zinc finishes highest in December. Some details are also underdeveloped, particularly copper’s movement: it falls below zero in May and June, then remains mostly positive and ends at about 1.5%. Make the overview’s comparisons more precise and describe the main stages for each metal.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement, with an introduction, an overview and two detail paragraphs. The sequence from the opening months to June and then the year-end recovery is generally easy to follow, and phrases such as “To begin with” and “In comparison” help signal relationships. This already gives the report a coherent progression. However, some linking is mechanical or unclear: “after that it had the significant change” does not specify the movement smoothly, and the overview’s contrast beginning “However” is difficult to interpret. The final paragraph is also brief compared with the nickel and zinc discussion. Use clearer transitions to distinguish the mid-year decline from the late-year recovery, and group comparisons around those stages.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “dramatic fall,” “declined,” “surge,” and “percentage,” and the reader can understand the main comparisons. There is some variety in how you describe movement, which suits the task. However, several word-choice and collocation problems reduce precision: “nickle” is misspelled, “prices precentage” is awkward, and “experienced a gradually rise” uses the wrong form. “Significant change” is also vague when the graph shows a specific rise. Check spelling and choose standard chart collocations such as “percentage change,” “fell to,” and “rose to.” More precise verbs and fewer repeated uses of “percentage” would make the description more fluent and accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including clauses joined with “however,” “but” and “after that.” Most of the intended meaning remains understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “zinc had the lowest percentage 1% in January” needs a clearer structure, such as “zinc recorded the lowest figure, at 1%.” In “copper initally was at 2% experienced,” the sentence lacks a connector between the two verbs; “copper was initially at 2% and then…” would be clearer. There are also issues with articles and sentence boundaries, as in “making the metal with highest percentage.” Aim for complete clauses and check that each sentence has a clear subject and correctly linked verbs.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.