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 illustarte changes in the price of three different metals in 2014 during the 12 month.

Overall, in the begining of the year nickel had the highest pescentage of the price and other two of the metals had approcimatly same price but at the end of the year all three types of metals were almost on the same percentage.

At the first month of 2014 nickel had 6%, while copper and zinc had 5-4 times less percentage than nickel. In two months the price of nickel sighnificantly deacreased by 5%

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response identifies two relevant broad features: nickel begins as the highest series, and the metals are closer together near year-end. However, it reports very little of the graph and does not provide a complete summary: the final sentence stops after describing nickel’s early fall, with no account of the later months or the other metals’ movements. Some figures are also inaccurate: copper and zinc start at about 2% and 1%, not “5-4 times less” than nickel, and nickel falls from about 6% to 1% over the first three months. The response is also 92 words, below the required 150. To improve, include a clear overview and select key rises, falls, turning points and end-of-year values for all three metals.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is a basic organisational attempt: an opening sentence is followed by an overview and then a detail paragraph. This gives the reader some sense of the intended structure. However, the progression is incomplete because the response ends mid-discussion after nickel’s early decline, and there is no developed comparison across the year. Connections between ideas are limited; for example, “In two months” does not clearly specify the period being compared. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and the main data, then organise the details chronologically or by contrasting the metals’ trends. Clearer linking phrases such as “By March” and “In contrast” would help the reader follow the comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some task-relevant vocabulary, including “price,” “percentage,” “decreased,” and “almost on the same,” so its general topic is understandable. However, spelling errors are frequent and noticeable, including “illustarte,” “begining,” “pescentage,” “approcimatly,” “sighnificantly,” and “deacreased.” Some expressions are also imprecise or unnatural: “5-4 times less percentage” is unclear, while “the highest percentage of the price” does not accurately describe the graph’s monthly percentage change. Build a more reliable set of chart terms, such as “monthly change,” “rose,” “fell,” “reached a low,” and “remained stable,” and check spelling and collocations carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response contains several understandable simple sentences and attempts a more complex structure in “while copper and zinc had…,” showing some ability to connect information. However, the range is limited, and errors recur in sentence construction and grammatical forms. For example, “during the 12 month” needs a plural form, and “other two of the metals” has an awkward determiner structure. The phrase “in the begining of the year” also uses an incorrect preposition pattern; write “at the beginning of the year.” The final sentence is incomplete, which leaves the idea unfinished. Practise accurate comparisons and past-tense reporting, and proofread articles, plurals and sentence endings.

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