Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

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 is slightly let down by some inaccuracies in data interpretation; for instance, you state Italy remained 'unchanged' at the end of the period, whereas the graph shows a slight decline after 1997. Additionally, the overview could be more concise by focusing on the most significant trends rather than listing every data point. To improve, ensure you group information logically to highlight key differences and similarities rather than describing each country in isolation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized into paragraphs, with each country or group of countries receiving its own section. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Moreover', and 'Notably' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by mechanical errors in punctuation, such as the unnecessary periods in the middle of sentences (e.g., '1987. and it further fell'). Furthermore, the final paragraph is somewhat repetitive, as it restates information already provided in the body paragraphs. Improving the transition between sentences and ensuring consistent punctuation would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'metric tonnes', 'soared', 'remained stabled', and 'surpassed'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'remained stabled' instead of 'remained stable' and 'the highest carbon dioxide emitter country' which is slightly awkward phrasing. While you attempt to use a variety of verbs to describe trends, some of these are used inaccurately. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring that your word forms are grammatically correct in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Common issues include incorrect article usage ('the United kingdom', 'the Portugal'), subject-verb agreement errors ('the figure... remained stabled'), and sentence fragments caused by incorrect punctuation (e.g., '1987. and it further fell'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to basic sentence construction, specifically ensuring that sentences are complete and that articles are used correctly with proper nouns.

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