Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-01

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 typical monthly Fluctuation in the prices of three different metals(copper, nickel, zinc)in percentage during 2014.

Overall, nickel experienced a dramatical decline in the prices from highest to lowest percentage, while prices of zinc metal increased marginally after some rises and falls during the year.

In term of nickel, its price was at 6% in January that was at highest value before a dramatical fall to -3% in June, and then it rise to 1% after a declined in October. Proportion in copper prices were almost same in January and December at 2% after and before some declined.

In term of zinc, it experienced many changes during the year, its price was at lowest point in January accounted to 1%, but it rise at 3% after one month , and then again fell at -1% in June , in December its price reached at 2% after a slightly decline in October.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the graph’s subject and include an overview, then report several relevant turning points, especially nickel’s fall from 6% in January to -3% in June and its recovery to 1% by the end of the year. However, the overview is not fully accurate: nickel does not decline from the highest to the lowest percentage across the year, since it later recovers, and zinc’s overall pattern is not simply a marginal increase. Some key comparisons are also missing, including copper’s relatively small fluctuations and the metals’ shared negative period around June–October. The account of copper is particularly brief, while some zinc details are unclear. Select the main trends more precisely and compare the series across the year to make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and two detail paragraphs, with nickel and copper discussed before zinc. This gives the reader a coherent overall arrangement. The sequence within the paragraphs is generally chronological, and phrases such as “in January,” “in June” and “in December” help locate changes. However, the progression is weakened by the repeated opening “In term of” and by combining copper with nickel in a paragraph that mainly describes nickel. Some links between events are also unclear, as in “after a declined in October,” where the relationship between the October fall and the later recovery is difficult to follow. Organise details by clear comparison or by time period, and use more varied, precise transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for describing trends, including “fluctuation,” “decline,” “increased,” “fell” and “reached.” These choices make the general subject and direction of change understandable, and you attempt more formal language such as “experienced” and “marginally.” However, some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural: “dramatical decline,” “prices of zinc metal,” and “accounted to 1%” do not express the data naturally. “Lowest point” is also incorrect for zinc in January, when its value was positive and higher than its June–October figures. Aim for precise trend language and check whether each adjective accurately describes the size and direction of a change.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses linked with “while,” “before” and “after,” and the main meaning is usually recoverable. However, some grammatical errors remain across the response. Verb forms are inconsistent in “it rise” and “it fell …, in December its price reached,” while the sentence joining several events with commas creates a run-on structure. There are also problems with articles and sentence construction, for example “was at highest value” and “its price was at lowest point.” Capitalisation and spacing around punctuation are inconsistent, as in “Fluctuation” and “metals(copper.” Use past-tense verbs consistently, add the necessary articles, and separate complete clauses with appropriate punctuation.

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