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 figure 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 and it fell to 7 matric tones in 2007.

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

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided key data points for all four countries. The overview clearly contrasts the downward trend of the UK and Sweden with the upward trajectory of Italy and Portugal. However, the response could be improved by making more direct comparisons between the countries rather than listing them individually. For instance, noting that Portugal's emissions grew to match Italy's by the end of the period would strengthen the analysis. The data points are generally accurate, though ensure you consistently use the correct units (e.g., 'metric tonnes' instead of 'matric tones'). Overall, you have covered all parts of the task well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'At the beginning', and 'Meanwhile' to guide the reader. However, there are issues with sentence boundary punctuation. Several sentences are fragmented, such as 'before declining gradually to around 9 metric tones in 2007' and 'it increased sharply to 10 metric tonnes in 1977 and it fell to 7 matric tones in 2007.' These fragments disrupt the flow. Using commas or conjunctions more effectively to link these clauses would improve the cohesion of your writing significantly.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'downward trend', 'upward trend', 'declined gradually', and 'growing rapidly'. These are appropriate for describing graph data. There are a few spelling errors, such as 'matric tones' instead of 'metric tonnes', and some minor issues with pluralization (e.g., '1 metric tonnes'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the variety and precision required for a higher band. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' and ensure consistent accuracy in technical terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in punctuation and sentence construction. Specifically, you often start sentences with a lowercase letter after a period or use periods to separate dependent clauses from the main sentence (e.g., '1967. before declining' and '1967. it increased'). These errors are noticeable and affect the readability of your response. While you attempt complex structures, the control over them is inconsistent. Focusing on correct sentence boundaries and ensuring that every sentence has a clear subject and verb will help you achieve a higher score.

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