Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-07-24

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graph below shows average carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions per person in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal between 1967 and 2007.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 6.5)

The line graph illustrates the average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per person in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal from 1967 to 2007.

Overall, Sweden showed a downward trend throughout the period. whereas Italy and Portugal showed an upward trend. In addition, the United Kingdom declined gradually.

At the beginning of the period, the United Kingdom recorded the highest feature at approximately 11 metric tonnes in 1967. before declining gradually to around 9 metric tones in 2007. Moreover, Sweden started at around 9 metric tonnes in 1967, it increased sharply to 10 metric tonnes in 1977. it fell to 7 matric tones in 2007.

Meanwhile, Italy stood at around 4 metric tonnes in 1967 before increased sharply to 6 metric tonnes in 1977. it remained stable around two years between 1997 and 2007. Furthermore, Portugal stood at about 1 maetric tonnes in 1967 before growing rapidly to around 7 metric tonnes in 2007 .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response covers all four countries and identifies the main trends, such as the downward trajectory of the UK and Sweden versus the growth in Italy and Portugal. However, the reporting of data is occasionally imprecise or lacks sufficient comparison. For instance, the description of Italy's stability between 1997 and 2007 is slightly inaccurate based on the graph, and the overview could be more integrated. While the key features are highlighted, the analysis lacks a deeper synthesis of the data points, which prevents it from reaching the higher bands. The response successfully identifies the starting and ending points, meeting the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In addition', 'At the beginning', and 'Meanwhile' helps guide the reader through the information. However, some transitions are mechanical, and the paragraphing could be improved by grouping the countries with similar trends together more effectively. There are also instances where sentence structure is fragmented, such as starting sentences with 'before' or 'it', which disrupts the flow of the text. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'downward trend', 'upward trend', 'declined gradually', and 'growing rapidly' used correctly. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'matric' and 'maetric' instead of 'metric', and 'tones' instead of 'tonnes'. These errors are noticeable but do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'remained constant', and ensure consistent spelling throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include incorrect punctuation (e.g., placing a period before 'before' or 'it'), subject-verb agreement errors (e.g., 'before increased'), and fragmented sentences. For example, 'it increased sharply to 10 metric tonnes in 1977. it fell to 7 matric tones in 2007' should be connected more fluidly. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of these minor errors limits the score. Focusing on sentence combining and proofreading for punctuation will significantly improve your accuracy.

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