Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-18

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 graph illustrates the average carbon dioxide (CO2) emission per individual in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal from 1967 to 2007.

In detail, in the United kingdom accounted approximately 11 metric tonnes in 1967, which was the highest carbon dioxide emitter country compered to other nations. Moreover, it gradually decreased to 10 metric tonnes in 1987. and it further fell to nearly 9 metric tonnes in 1997. and in 2007 it dropped to a low of 8.5 metric tonnes. Whereas, Portugal stood at the lowest of about 1 metric tonnes per individual, and slightly rose to 2 metric tonnes in 1977. Then it again soared gently and marked roughly 3 metric tonnes in 1987. Notably, the figure registered in 1997 was near to 5 metric tonnes per person and remained stabled in 2007 at high of 5 metric tonnes.

In contrast, Sweden reported approximately 8.8 metric tonnes in 1967 and reached to slightly above 10 metric tonnes in 1977. However, after it gently was decreasing in 1987 it dropped to about 7 metric tonnes. Moreover, it again fell to 6 metric tonnes in 1997. Lastly, it dropped to a low of roughly 5 metric tonnes in 2007. However, in 1967 Italy reported about 4 metric tonnes. then it increased to just above 6 metric tonnes in 1977, and it soared to a high of almost 8 metric tonnes and remained unchanged throughout time.

Overall, the United kingdom was the highest emitter country. While , Portugal remained the lowest emitter in the initial years. Notably, the Portugal was the lowest in the initial year but never surpassed other countries in terms of average carbon dioxide.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the data. You covered all four countries and included relevant comparisons, such as noting the UK's position as the highest emitter and Portugal's growth from a low starting point. However, the report lacks a clear, cohesive summary of the overall trends in the introduction or conclusion. While you mention the UK was the highest, you could have better highlighted the contrasting trajectories, such as the UK and Sweden's downward trends versus Italy and Portugal's upward trends. The data points are generally accurate, but the analysis could be more analytical rather than just listing figures year by year.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is logically organized into paragraphs, with each country or group of countries discussed in turn. You use some cohesive devices like 'In detail', 'Moreover', 'In contrast', and 'Overall' to guide the reader. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by mechanical sentence structures and repetitive phrasing. For example, the transition between sentences is sometimes abrupt, and the use of 'and' to start sentences or link clauses is excessive. Paragraphing is used appropriately, but the internal cohesion within the paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to show relationships between the data points rather than just listing them sequentially.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'metric tonnes', 'emitter', 'soared', and 'remained unchanged'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For instance, 'remained stabled' should be 'remained stable', and 'the highest carbon dioxide emitter country' is slightly awkward; 'the country with the highest CO2 emissions' would be more natural. You also repeat certain phrases, such as 'metric tonnes per individual', which limits the sophistication of your writing. To reach a higher band, try to vary your vocabulary by using synonyms and more precise descriptive language for trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally affect the flow. Common issues include incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'gently was decreasing' should be 'was gently decreasing'), missing articles (e.g., 'in the United kingdom'), and punctuation errors, such as placing periods before 'and' or 'then'. Additionally, there are some awkward phrasings like 'the figure registered in 1997 was near to 5 metric tonnes'. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the data, they are frequent enough to keep the score at a 6.0 level.

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