Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-07-30
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 emission per person of four different countries which are the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy, and Portugal from 1967 to 2007.
In this graph, when we start from the highest average carbon dioxide emission in metric tonnes to lowest then the first is the United Kingdom, second is Sweden, third is Italy, and the last one with lowest carbon dioxide emission in metric tonnes is Portugal.
The graph shows the data from 1967 to 2007 of carbon dioxide emission in metrics tonnes. The average carbon dioxide emissions in metric tonnes in Portugal rises from 0 to 5 approximately, Italy average carbon dioxide emissions in metric tonnes also increased from 4 to 7 approximately, Sweden average carbon dioxide emission in metric tonnes declined from 9 to 5 approximately, and the United Kingdom carbon dioxide emission in metric tonnes also decreased from 11 to 9 approximately.
In conclusion, United Kingdom seems to be highest, and Portugal seems to be lowest in term of carbon dioxide emission in metric tonnes at least for 40 years
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response covers the main features of the graph, identifying the trends for all four countries. However, the overview is weak; it merely lists the countries by rank rather than highlighting the significant contrasting trends (e.g., the decline in the UK and Sweden versus the growth in Italy and Portugal). The data reporting is accurate, but the description of the trends is somewhat repetitive and lacks analytical depth. To improve, you should group the countries by their shared trends—those that increased and those that decreased—rather than listing them individually. This would provide a more cohesive summary of the information presented in the graph.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is organised into three paragraphs, which is a reasonable structure for a short task. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited, relying heavily on simple conjunctions and repetitive sentence structures. For instance, the second paragraph lists the data for each country in a very similar way, which makes the text feel disjointed. To achieve a higher band, try to use more varied linking words and phrases to connect your ideas, such as 'In contrast,' 'Conversely,' or 'Meanwhile,' to show the relationship between the different countries' data points more effectively.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You frequently repeat phrases like 'average carbon dioxide emission in metric tonnes' and 'increased/decreased.' While these terms are accurate, the repetition makes the writing less engaging. There is little evidence of less common lexical items or sophisticated collocations. To improve, try to use synonyms or paraphrasing to avoid repetition, such as 'carbon footprint,' 'levels of CO2 output,' or 'witnessed a downward trend.' Using more precise verbs like 'fluctuated,' 'surged,' or 'plummeted' would also demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'the United Kingdom seems to be highest' (missing 'the') and 'in term of' (should be 'in terms of'). Additionally, some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'when we start from the highest... then the first is...'. The punctuation is generally acceptable, but the overall control of complex structures is limited. To improve, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and using articles correctly. Incorporating more varied sentence types, such as relative clauses or participle phrases, would help demonstrate better grammatical control.
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