Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-04

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 4.0)

The given line chart illustrates the change of prices in three different metals during 2014 in each month.

From an overall perpective it is evident that, the prices of all three metals fluctuate .However ,Nickel experienced the dramatic decline and did not record any growth .Whereas, Zinc experience little bit of growth meanwhile Copper remained stable.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

You identify the chart’s subject and attempt an overview, noting that the metals fluctuate and that nickel has a marked decline. However, the overview is partly inaccurate: nickel did record positive monthly changes, including 6% in January and 1% in November and December, while copper did not remain stable throughout, falling below zero in May and June. The response gives no specific monthly figures or meaningful comparisons and does not describe the main pattern across the year. It is also substantially below the required 150 words, leaving the task only minimally addressed. To improve, report the contrasting early-year peaks, mid-year falls and late-year recovery, supporting these points with selected figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic sequence: an introductory sentence is followed by an attempted overall summary. This gives the reader a simple starting structure, but the ideas are not developed into a clear progression through the chart’s main features. The overview is compressed into one sentence, and the contrast markers in “Whereas” and “meanwhile” do not connect the points smoothly; “Whereas” is also left as a fragment rather than integrated into a complete sentence. Punctuation spacing and the full stop before “However” further interrupt the flow. Use separate paragraphs for the introduction, overview and key details, then organise comparisons by stages of the year and connect them with clear, accurate linking phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “line chart,” “prices,” “fluctuate,” “decline” and “stable,” so the general topic is understandable. However, the range is narrow and several choices are imprecise or awkward: “change of prices” is less natural than “changes in prices,” and “dramatic decline” does not capture nickel’s later recovery. “Did not record any growth” is also misleading because nickel’s monthly changes were positive in several months. Spelling and word-form slips such as “perpective” and “experience” weaken control. Build a more precise range for describing trends, such as “rose,” “fell,” “recovered” and “remained below zero,” and use these terms to distinguish the three metals.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response includes a simple introductory clause and an attempted compound overview, but the sentence structures are limited and control is inconsistent. In “From an overall perpective it is evident that, the prices…,” the comma after “that” is unnecessary, and the sentence has awkward punctuation around “However.” “Whereas, Zinc experience…” is not a complete, correctly formed sentence: “whereas” needs to connect two clauses, and the verb should agree with the subject and the past-time context. The opening also needs a more natural grammatical pattern, such as “The line chart shows how the prices changed…” Practise joining comparisons into complete sentences and checking verb forms, agreement, capitalisation and punctuation before finishing.

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