Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-14
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 5.5)
The given graph shows average carbon dioxide emissions per person in thr United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal the data was given between two years. The given data has been calibrated in numbers.
Overall, the graph data shows that united kingdom has most emission of carbon dioxide in all the years and Portugal has less emission of carbon dioxide in all the given years.
In year 1967 the emission of Portugal of carbon dioxide was almost 1.5metric tonnes and the emission of Italy was at 4 metric tonnes. Sweden was at almost 9 metric tonnes and united kingdom was at the top in year 1967 with 11metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. In year 1977 the emissions of Portugal was increased at 2 metric tonnes Italy also increased at 6 metric tonnes. The increased graph of Sweden was most all of these above it stand almost near with united kingdom with almost 10.5 metric tonnes and in these all united kingdom was only country whose emissions was decreased it stands almost 10.5 metric tonnes from 11 metric tonnes.
In year 1987, The emissions of carbon dioxide in Portugal was again increased by almost 3 metric tonnes Italy was also at 7 metric tonnes Sweden was decreased and down at 7 metric tonnes united kingdom was also decreased at 10 metric tonnes. In year 1997 Portugal was at almost 5.5 metric tonnes and Italy was at 7.5 metric tonnes. Sweden was at 6 metric tonnes and united kingdom at 9.5 metric tonnes. In year 2007 Portugal was at 5.5 and Italy remains same at 7.5 metric tonnes. Sweden was at 5.5 and united kingdom was at almost 8.5 metric tonnes of emissions.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all the requirements of the task by identifying the main trends and making relevant comparisons between the four countries. You successfully highlighted the overall trend of the UK being the highest emitter and Portugal the lowest. However, the report is somewhat mechanical, as it lists data points chronologically for each decade rather than grouping information by trends or significant shifts. To reach a higher band, focus on synthesising the data—for example, grouping the countries that showed a downward trend versus those that showed an increase—rather than simply listing figures for every year.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of the data. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and mechanical. Phrases like 'In year 1967', 'In year 1977', and 'In year 1987' are used to start almost every paragraph or sentence, which makes the flow feel stilted. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and transition phrases to connect ideas more fluidly, such as 'Conversely', 'In contrast', or 'Following this trend'.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You frequently use the word 'emission' and 'increased/decreased' to describe the data. While these are accurate, the range is limited. There are also some minor errors in word choice and phrasing, such as 'the data was given between two years' and 'calibrated in numbers', which sound unnatural in an academic context. Incorporating more sophisticated synonyms for trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'remained stable', would enhance your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'in united kingdom'), subject-verb agreement errors (e.g., 'emissions was decreased'), and punctuation mistakes. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the data, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall fluency of the text. Focusing on consistent subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will significantly improve the quality of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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