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 line graph illustrates the amount of carbon dioxide emission per individual in four types of countries such as United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal from 1967 to 2007. The figure is given in tones.
Overall, it can be seen that Italy and Portugal experienced a significant growth throughout the time period. It is also noticeable that United Kingdom recorded the highest figure at the start of the period, whereas Sweden carbon dioxide emissions fell sharply by the end of the period.
In 1967, emissions per person in United Kingdom recorded approximately at 11 tonnes, making it the highest category, then decreased steadily over the period and stood at around 9 tonnes in 2007. In Sweden, emissions accounted for around 9 tonnes by 1967 and then increased to 10.2 tonnes in 1977 and then fell dramatically to 7 tonnes in 1997 and recorded around 8 tonnes in
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the task achievement score. While you have identified the main trends and selected key data points, the response is incomplete, cutting off abruptly at the end. To achieve a higher band, you must ensure the entire task is completed, including a full description of all countries and a concluding summary. The overview provided is clear, but the lack of completion means the task is only partially addressed. You should aim to provide a more balanced analysis of all four countries throughout the entire period.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and the beginning of a body paragraph. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'whereas', and 'In 1967', which help guide the reader. However, because the response is unfinished, the overall progression is interrupted. To improve, ensure that your paragraphing is consistent and that you use a wider variety of linking words to connect your comparisons between the countries more fluidly. The current structure is mechanical but functional for the amount of text provided.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the trends, such as 'significant growth', 'recorded the highest figure', and 'fell sharply'. These are appropriate for an IELTS Task 1 response. However, there are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'four types of countries' (which is slightly unnatural; 'four countries' is better) and 'The figure is given in tones' (should be 'tonnes'). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise collocations and ensure spelling is accurate throughout the text.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'Sweden carbon dioxide emissions' (should be 'Sweden's carbon dioxide emissions') and 'recorded approximately at 11 tonnes' (should be 'was approximately 11 tonnes'). While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions when describing data points on a graph.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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