Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The given line graph illustrates average carbon dioxide released per person in the United kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal in the span of 40 years. Overall, United kingdom recorded the highest carbon emit by an individual and the least by a Portugal citizen.

In 1967, United kingdom was the highest in terms of carbon dioxide emitted by an individual about 11 metric tones. Moreover, it slightly declined approximately 0.2 metric ton in 10 years. After that, the proportion of emissions by a citizen gradually decreased and stood at 10 metric tons in the year 1987. Subsequently, years passed and the discharge of carbon gas went drastically down around 8.8 metric tons.

In the case of Sweden, in the initial period emission was around 8.9 metric tons. However, it went drastically upward in a decade approximately 10.3 metric tons. After that, the emission by a person drastically declined in the year 1987 around 7 metric tons and by 2007 the graph gradually decreased and stood at 5.8 metric tons.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response provides a clear overview and selects key features, such as the trends for the UK and Sweden. However, the task is incomplete as it fails to mention Italy and Portugal, which are clearly visible in the provided graph. By omitting half of the data set, the response fails to address all parts of the task. While the main trends for the UK and Sweden are described, the lack of comparison or mention of the other two countries prevents a higher score. To improve, ensure all categories presented in the graph are included in your summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction and separate body paragraphs for the UK and Sweden. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In 1967', 'Moreover', and 'Subsequently', which help guide the reader. However, the transition between ideas is sometimes mechanical, and the lack of a concluding summary or a cohesive link to the missing data makes the overall structure feel incomplete. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the flow is hindered by the omission of the remaining countries, which disrupts the logical progression of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using terms like 'metric tons', 'proportion', and 'drastically'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'carbon emit' (should be 'carbon emissions') and 'discharge of carbon gas' (which is not the standard term for CO2 emissions). The range is somewhat limited, relying on repetitive structures to describe trends. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations related to data reporting, such as 'a downward trend' or 'fluctuated'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, including missing articles ('in United kingdom', 'by a Portugal citizen') and issues with preposition usage ('in the span of 40 years' should be 'over a 40-year period'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. The sentence structure is generally clear, but the lack of variety in complex forms limits the potential for a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage would significantly improve accuracy.

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