Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-05
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 6.0)
The line graph compares average carbon dioxide emissions per person in metric tonnes for 4 different countries United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal between 1967 and 2007.
Overall, United Kingdom remained the highest throughout the period, while Portugal and Italy projected an upward trend in the given period. Sweden surged up a bit before having a consistent decline.
In 1967, United Kingdom was by far the biggest carbon emission producer, having around 11 metric tonnes per person, followed by Sweden with just over 8 metric tonnes and Italy accounting for around 4 metric tonnes. Italy had the least amount carbon emission production having only 1 metric tonnes per person. By 1977, United Kingdom remained relatively the same, Sweden however witnessed significant increase which was almost as United Kingdom both accounting for just over 10 metric tonnes. During the same time period Italy and Portugal both increased at around similar rate Portugal with 4 metric tonnes and Italy with 6 metric tonnes.
In 1987, United Kingdom was still the biggest carbon emission producer however it dipped down to 10 metric tonnes. Sweden and Italy converged at around 7 metric tonnes. Portugal slowly climbed up to 5 metric tonnes during this time frame. Decade later United Kingdom and Sweden is declining slowly with 9 metric tonnes and 6 metric tonnes, whilst Italy and Portugal projected an upward trend both rising to 7 and 5 metric tonnes respectively. Finally in 2007 United Kingdom and Sweden continued to decrease, with 9 and 5 metric tonnes. Italy and Portugal on the other hand however plateaued with 7 and 5 metric tonnes.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all requirements of the task. You have identified the main trends and provided relevant data points to support your descriptions. The overview is clear and highlights the key differences between the countries. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in data reporting; for instance, you stated Italy had 1 metric tonne in 1967, while the graph shows it closer to 4, and you misidentified the starting point for Portugal. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are extracted with greater precision and that comparisons are more explicitly linked to the overall trends observed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs that follow a chronological progression. Cohesive devices such as 'while', 'however', 'during the same time period', and 'whilst' are used to connect ideas. However, the flow is occasionally slightly mechanical, and some transitions between sentences could be smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different time periods, which helps the reader follow the development of the data. Overall, the information is presented in a coherent manner.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'surged', 'consistent decline', 'converged', and 'plateaued'. There are some minor inaccuracies in collocation and word choice, such as 'biggest carbon emission producer' (better: 'highest per capita emitter') and 'accounted for around 4 metric tonnes' (when referring to emissions). While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, incorporating more precise academic terminology would enhance the quality of your writing and help you achieve a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('United Kingdom and Sweden is declining') and missing articles ('the United Kingdom'). Additionally, some phrasing is slightly awkward, such as 'almost as United Kingdom'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and article usage will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.