Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-12

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 given line graph compares the average carbon dioxide emissions released by per person in four different countries( united kingdom, sweden, italy and portugal) between 1967 and 2007.

it can be clearly seen that, united kingdom and sweden experienced decline over the period, the uk consistently had the highest level throughout. while italy and portugal was slightly fluctuated but increased by the end of the period.

in 1967, united kingdom was the highest figure at around 10.7 metric tonnes per person. this decline gradually to about 8.3 tonnes in 2007. sweden started at 8.3 tonnes and rose to a peak of just over 10 tonnes in 1977, before dropping sharply to approximately 5 tonnes by the end of the period.

in contrast, italy and portugal both saw increases. italy began at 4.2 tonnes and rose steadily to 7.3 tonnes in 2007. portugal experienced the most dramatic growth, from just 1.2 tonnes to around 5.1 tonnes, although it remained the lowest emitter. notably, italy overtook sweden in the late 1980.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all requirements of the task. You have successfully identified the main trends, such as the overall decline in the UK and Sweden versus the growth in Italy and Portugal. You also included relevant data points to support these trends. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the main features. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are fully accurate; for instance, you mentioned Italy overtook Sweden in the late 1980s, which is a good specific detail. The response is well-structured and addresses the prompt effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'in contrast' and 'notably' to link ideas. However, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that transitions between sentences are smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the declining countries from the increasing ones. The referencing is generally clear, though some sentences feel slightly disjointed due to the limited range of cohesive devices employed.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'metric tonnes', 'fluctuated', and 'dramatic growth'. However, there are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'released by per person' (which is redundant) and 'this decline gradually to' (should be 'declined gradually'). To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and ensure that word forms are used correctly in context. The current range is sufficient to convey the information clearly but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'italy and portugal was slightly fluctuated' (subject-verb agreement and voice error) and 'united kingdom was the highest figure' (should be 'had the highest figure'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with capitalization of country names. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent capitalization to 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.