Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The line graph illustrates the average change in monthly prices of three metals in 2014.

Overall, nickle started at the top and ended up being the lowest by the end of the year replaced by zinc which started as the lowest one. Copper showed a declining trend in the first half before overtaking the other two metals. However, it ended up in the second position.

Nickle experienced a sharp decline after starting at the highest point in January, going from 6% to 1% by March and dipped further in June (-3%). However, after going through a lot of fluctuations until October, the prices rose sharply to 1% again where they attained steadiness until December.

On the comtrary, the prices of zin soared after starting at 1% in January to 3% in February. These prices also kept fluctuating and hit a low of -1% in June and surged again after October and ultimately reached a peak of 2% in December. Copper, however, did not experience any dramatic fluctuations but the prices were dominating the other two from July to October at 1%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall pattern: nickel begins highest and falls sharply, while zinc and copper recover later in the year. Several figures are accurately selected, including nickel’s January peak and June low, zinc’s February rise and December peak, and copper’s relatively small fluctuations. However, the overview is not fully precise: copper does not overtake both metals overall, and it is not clearly the leading series from July to October, since zinc and nickel also reach or fall below comparable levels. The account also says nickel was the lowest at year-end, although copper is lower in December. Develop the comparisons more carefully and report the year-end positions accurately to make the key features clearer.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement, moving from an introduction and overview to separate descriptions of nickel, zinc and copper. This makes the main trends easy to follow, and linking phrases such as “However” and “On the contrary” help signal contrasts. Some connections are less effective, though: “On the contrary” does not quite fit the shift from nickel to zinc, and the overview’s claim that copper overtook the other metals is not clearly supported by the later details. The copper information is also compressed into one final sentence, so its trend is less developed than the other series. Use more precise transitions and organise the comparisons around the shared turning points, especially the mid-year decline and late-year recovery.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of trend vocabulary, including “sharp decline,” “fluctuations,” “surged” and “peak,” which helps describe changes in the graph. Some choices are imprecise or awkward for this task: “prices were dominating the other two” is not a natural way to compare percentage changes, and “attained steadiness” is less idiomatic than saying the figure remained stable. There are also spelling errors in “nickle,” “comtrary” and “zin,” which reduce accuracy, although the intended meaning is generally recoverable. Aim for precise chart language such as “recorded a higher monthly change than” or “remained stable at,” and check spelling carefully. This would make the vocabulary more controlled and natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including time clauses and participial phrasing, as in “after starting at the highest point in January” and “after going through a lot of fluctuations until October.” Most sentences communicate the intended trends, and the past tense is generally appropriate. Some grammatical issues remain: “nickel started at the top and ended up being the lowest … replaced by zinc” leaves the relationship between the clauses unclear, while “going from 6% to 1% by March and dipped further” mixes structures within the same sequence. The sentence about copper also has an unclear comparison structure. Build parallel forms when listing changes and use complete, clearly linked clauses. Your range is developing, but greater control of these complex constructions is needed.

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