Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-03

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 4.5)

The graph below illustrates the average monthly change in the prices of three metals during 2014. Overall, all the metals had fluctuations throughout the year. In the start of the year nickel had the largest change in the price while other metals prices were also changed. Nickel faced suddenly decreased but it rose suddenly. Copper did not had too much down fall while in some months copper prices remained the same. Zinc prices had upps and down throughout the year.

By 2014, zinc prices increased to 1% in the first month of the year. In the next month a changed in the prices rocorded around 3%. From March the prices start decreasing and reached -1% in June. After this the price remained the same after minor increased untill September. By the end of the year the prices of zinc started rising to 2%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the overall fluctuation and note that nickel began with the largest change, while copper varied less. However, the response reports only the zinc series in detail and omits the important movements of copper and nickel, so the main features are not adequately selected or compared. Some zinc details are also inaccurate: it rose from 1% to 3% in February, then declined to about 1% in May and −1% in June; it did not keep falling from March, and it was not unchanged through September. The response is 131 words, below the required 150, which further limits coverage. Include a concise overview and key figures for all three metals, especially nickel’s sharp fall and later recovery.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic paragraph structure: an opening overview is followed by a paragraph describing zinc, and time markers such as “In the next month,” “After this” and “By the end of the year” help show sequence. However, the progression is incomplete because the body focuses almost entirely on zinc and does not organise comparisons among the three metals. Some links are unclear or repetitive, particularly “After this the price remained the same after minor increased,” which makes the sequence difficult to follow. The overview also lists several general observations without developing them into a clear comparison. Organise the body by stages or by metal, and use precise references such as “it” only when the metal being discussed is unmistakable.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “average monthly change,” “increased,” “decreasing” and “remained the same,” so the reader can generally identify the topic and direction of movement. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate or awkward: “upps and down,” “suddenly decreased,” “a changed in the prices,” and “minor increased.” These errors make parts of the description less clear and reduce precision. Use standard trend language such as “fluctuated,” “fell sharply,” “rose,” and “levelled off,” while varying terms carefully rather than repeating “prices.” Check spelling and word forms, and use “percentage change” or “price change” consistently to describe the graph.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response includes some simple sentences and attempts longer structures, for example, “From March the prices start decreasing and reached -1% in June.” However, control is inconsistent, and errors in verb forms, agreement, articles and sentence construction are frequent enough to make several statements awkward or unclear. Examples include “Nickel faced suddenly decreased,” “Copper did not had,” and “a changed in the prices rocorded.” Tense also shifts between past and present in the same account, as in “start decreasing and reached.” Use the past tense consistently for the 2014 data, and practise accurate patterns such as “Nickel fell sharply” and “Copper did not fall significantly.” Clearer sentence boundaries and proofreading would improve readability.

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