Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-07-25
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 8.0)
The line graph tracks how much carbon dioxide was emitted per individual in UK, Sweden, Italy and Portugal from 1967 to 2007.
Overall, United Kingdom had the highest carbon dioxide emission per person throughout the period. Portugal and Italy showed a gradual increase whereas carbon release per person experienced an overall decrease.
People in United Kingdom had the highest average carbon dioxide emission throughout 40 years. It started from 11 metric tonnes emitted by each individual in 1967 and gradually dropped to 9 metric tonnes in 2007. However, Sweden showed an increasing trend from almost 9 metric tonnes to a peak of 10.4 metric tonnes between 1967 and 1977. The average emission per citizen declined sharply to 7 metric tonnes in 1987 before progressively dropping to 5.6 metric tonnes in 2007 but at a slower rate than in between 1977 and 1987.
Italy and Portugal showed a similar increasing trend but individuals in Italy had a higher carbon emission compared to Portugal at all times in the period . In Portugal, the average release of this greenhouse gas started from 1.3 metric tonnes in 1967 and gradually rose to its highest value of 5.2 metric tonnes in 1997, the emissions per person stayed constant at this value till 2007. Italian citizens had an average emission of 4.2 metric tonnes at the beginning of the period and climed sharply to 6.3 metric tonnes in 1977. This increasing trend continued but at a slower rate between 1977 and 1997; ultimately reaching an average emission value of 7.8 metric tonnes in 1997 that stayed constant till 2007.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 8.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0
The response effectively identifies the main trends and provides a clear overview. You have successfully selected key data points to support your descriptions, such as the peak in Sweden and the stable periods for Italy and Portugal. The comparison between countries is well-integrated throughout the report. To reach a higher band, ensure the overview is more comprehensive; for instance, noting that while the UK and Sweden saw overall declines, Italy and Portugal experienced growth would provide a more complete summary of the contrasting patterns. Overall, the task is well-addressed with accurate data reporting.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0
The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific group of countries, which helps the reader follow the information easily. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'however', and 'ultimately' to link sentences and clauses effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed analysis. To improve further, ensure that referencing is always precise; for example, in the second paragraph, the phrase 'carbon release per person experienced an overall decrease' is slightly ambiguous as it refers to the UK and Sweden, so explicitly naming them would improve clarity.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.5
You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision. Phrases like 'gradually dropped', 'increasing trend', and 'climbed sharply' are used effectively to describe the data. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, such as 'metric tonnes' and 'greenhouse gas'. While there is a minor spelling error ('climed'), it does not impede communication. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' to avoid repetition and demonstrate a more sophisticated lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures with generally good control. You successfully employ complex sentences to compare trends, such as 'In Portugal, the average release... started from 1.3 metric tonnes... and gradually rose to its highest value'. There are a few minor errors, such as missing articles ('in UK') and the spelling mistake 'climed'. However, these errors are infrequent and do not cause difficulty for the reader. The majority of your sentences are error-free, showing a good level of grammatical control.
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