Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-07-26
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 7.5)
The graph provided illustrates average carbon dioxide emissions per person in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy, and Portugal between the years 1967 and 2007.
Overall, it can be observed that in the UK and Sweden, the average weight of carbon dioxide gas released per person decreased over the given timeframe while in Italy and Portugal, a reverse trend was witnessed over the same time period. Moreover, the CO2 emissions were being measured in metric tonnes.
First of all, the United Kingdom lowered its average emissions per person gradually over the time period; and at the end of the 40 years, the number rested at just shy of 9 tonnes. Furthermore, Sweden's CO2 footprint per individual was a little more than 8000 kgs in 1967 and it rose sharply for the next 10 years and peaked at just over 10 tonnes per citizen leading to a steep decline in the next 10 years and then a gradual decrease till 2007.
On the other hand, Portugal's average carbon emission was less than 2 metric tonnes each citizen in the beginning. With time, it rose gradually till 1977 and stagnated for the next 10 years. Moving further, for the first 10 years, an Italian was releasing just over 4 metric tonnes of CO2 in atmosphere. This number saw a sharp increase for next decade and finally the rate of increase lowered, and after 1997, the emissions stagnated.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response successfully identifies the main trends and makes relevant comparisons between the four countries. You have clearly distinguished between the downward trends in the UK and Sweden and the upward trends in Italy and Portugal. The overview is clear and effectively summarises the data. However, to reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are described with consistent units; for instance, you switch between 'tonnes' and 'kgs' for Sweden, which can be confusing. Additionally, while the main features are covered, providing more specific data points for the final year (2007) for all countries would have strengthened the analysis.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0
The essay is logically organised with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on the two distinct groups of countries. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Moreover', 'First of all', and 'On the other hand' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall flow. To improve, ensure that the transition between sentences within paragraphs is smoother; some sentences feel slightly disjointed, such as the sudden mention of metric tonnes in the overview. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'peaked at', 'steep decline', and 'stagnated' are used appropriately to describe the trends in the graph. There are some minor issues with collocation and precision, such as 'average weight of carbon dioxide gas released', which is slightly wordy; 'carbon dioxide emissions' is more standard. You also use 'in atmosphere' without the necessary article. While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, incorporating more sophisticated synonyms for 'increase' or 'decrease' would enhance the lexical variety.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free, which allows for easy communication. However, there are some grammatical slips, such as 'less than 2 metric tonnes each citizen' (should be 'per citizen') and 'for next decade' (missing an article). Punctuation is generally handled well, though there is an unnecessary semicolon usage in the third paragraph. To achieve a higher score, aim for more varied complex structures and ensure articles and prepositions are used consistently throughout the text.
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