Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-17
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 average carbon emissions per head in the four different countries of europe from 1967 to 2007.
Overall, emissions decreased in the United Kingdom and Sweden over the period, whereas Italy and Portugal experienced substantial increase. United Kingdom remained in first place despite linear decline, while others changed their positions over the time.
In the 1967, UK at first spot by 11 metric ton emission but Sweden ,Italy and Portugal with 8,4, and around 2 metric ton emmision ,respectively.
A lot of changes occurred over half a century in these four countries regarding per capita emissions.UK showed a decline slope but the Sweden showed 8 at start but after 10 years it made a sharp surge around 10 then declined in time and moved from second to third spot. Around 1990, Italy crossed Sweden in carbon output and increased gradually by time. Portugal emerged as a country where carbon emissions increased over time, and around 2007, it was at the same level as Sweden, in third position.
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 the main features of the graph, including the overall trends and key data points. You successfully identified the downward trend for the UK and Sweden and the upward trend for Italy and Portugal. However, the report lacks precision in some areas; for example, stating 'around 2 metric ton' for Portugal is vague, and the description of the UK's decline as 'linear' is inaccurate given the fluctuations shown. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are cited more accurately and that comparisons between countries are more explicitly linked to the specific years provided in the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into a logical structure with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical. For instance, the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs could be smoother. While you use some cohesive devices like 'respectively' and 'whereas', the use of referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the phrase 'others changed their positions over the time'. Improving the variety and precision of your linking words will help the progression of your ideas feel more natural and sophisticated.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'per capita', 'metric ton', and 'substantial increase'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'decline slope' instead of 'downward trend' and 'crossed Sweden' instead of 'surpassed' or 'overtook'. Additionally, there are minor spelling and punctuation errors, such as 'emmision' and missing spaces after commas. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and ensure consistent attention to spelling and basic punctuation rules.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the UK', 'the Sweden'), preposition usage, and verb tense consistency. For example, 'UK at first spot' is missing a verb, and 'the Sweden showed 8 at start' is grammatically awkward. These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the score. To progress, work on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of definite and indefinite articles in academic writing.
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.