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 line graph demonstrates the average carbon dioxide emissions for each person living in UK, sweden, italy and portugal between the year 1967 and 2007.

Overall, the use of carbon dioxide in various countries had experienced a dramatic upward and downward trends and had continuously either increase or decline throughout the years. Portugal and Sweden recorded the same amount of usage by the year 2007.

Firstly, Portugal recorded a gradual increase over the years untill it got to a peak of almost 6 metric tonnes by the year 1997 and remained constant over the years. Substantially, Italy rose rapidly surpassing 6 tonnes metric in the year 1977 following this, it experienced little fluctuattions as the year goes by untill 1987 where it gradually picked up almost getting to 8 metric tonnes and it remained constant over the remaining years.

In contrast, Sweden rose rapidly surpassing 10 metric tonnes in the year 1977 and also recorded a very huge decrease in the year 1987 and it continued to decline hitting the bottom by the year 2007. Also, United kingdom recorded a dramatic steady decline throughout the years and was lowest by the year 2007.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all key features of the graph, including the trends for all four countries. You successfully identified the main trends, such as the decline in the UK and the fluctuations in Italy. However, there are some inaccuracies in the data reporting; for instance, you stated that Portugal and Sweden recorded the same amount of usage by 2007, but the graph shows them at different levels. Additionally, the description of the UK as having a 'dramatic steady decline' is slightly inaccurate as the decline was more gradual. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are cited more precisely and that the summary reflects the visual information with greater accuracy.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'In contrast', and 'also' helps guide the reader through the information. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the paragraphing could be improved by grouping countries with similar trends together more effectively. The referencing is generally clear, though the flow between sentences in the second body paragraph is slightly disjointed due to the repetitive structure of reporting each country's data point by point. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the trends, using terms like 'gradual increase', 'remained constant', and 'dramatic steady decline'. However, there are some spelling errors, such as 'untill' and 'fluctuattions', and some awkward phrasing like 'use of carbon dioxide in various countries'. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations related to data description, such as 'peaked at' or 'experienced a downward trend'. While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher band scores.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'between the year 1967 and 2007' (should be plural 'years') and 'surpassing 6 tonnes metric' (word order). There are also issues with article usage, such as 'in UK' and 'in year 1977'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent use of articles will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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