Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-02

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)

I have asked to interpret the line graph showing information regarding carbon footprint of a single individual of different countries over the years. This line graph is revealing that Portugal and Italy have the same trend of increasing carbon emissions per person from year 1967 to 2007, but in Italy carbon footprint was more significant than Portugal with an increase from 4 metric tonnes to almost 7.8 metric tonnes, that is far more than Portugal, where there is an increase from 1 metric tonnes to 5 metric tonnes. On the other hand, UK and Sweden are showing a decreasing trend of carbon emission but not the same as the previous two countries. UK had shown a continuous decrease from 11 metric tonnes to almost 8.3 metric tonnes throughout from 1967 to 2007. But Sweden's line is revealing a rapid increase in carbon footprint up till 1977 from 8.3 metric tonnes to almost 10, and then we can see a sudden and wild drop in it from 1977 to 2007. That drop is significant from any of the other drops by any country, from 10 metric tonnes to 5. However, in 1967 and also in 2007, the UK was the only country emitting maximum carbon per person among all these four countries.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully identified the main trends and made relevant comparisons between the four countries. You highlighted the contrasting patterns (increasing vs. decreasing) and noted the key data points for 1967 and 2007. However, the response lacks a clear overview paragraph, which is essential for a high band score in Academic Task 1. While you included data, the structure is slightly repetitive, and you could improve by grouping the countries more effectively (e.g., those with rising trends vs. those with falling trends) to provide a more analytical summary rather than just listing the data points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is generally coherent, and the information is logically sequenced. You use some cohesive devices like 'On the other hand' and 'However' to signal shifts in the narrative. However, the lack of paragraphing makes the text feel like a single block of information, which hinders the overall flow. To improve, you should separate your introduction/overview from the body paragraphs. Additionally, some transitions are a bit mechanical; using a wider variety of linking phrases would help the ideas flow more naturally between sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'carbon footprint', 'metric tonnes', and 'decreasing trend'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'wild drop' (which is too informal for an academic report) and 'revealing that' (which is slightly repetitive). You also have a minor grammatical error with '1 metric tonnes' (should be 'tonne'). To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoiding informal descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'UK had shown a continuous decrease... throughout from 1967 to 2007'. There are several grammatical slips, such as 'I have asked to interpret' (should be passive: 'I have been asked'), '1 metric tonnes' (singular/plural agreement), and 'that drop is significant from any of the other drops' (should be 'more significant than'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage.

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