Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-20

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 following graph shows the average carbon dioxide emissions per person in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy, and Portugal from 1967 to 2007.

The carbon Dioxide emission per person in UK decreases gradually but in Sweden in first decked it rises and then decreases gradually now when it comes to Italy and Portugal it increase.

the graph shows that the carbon dioxide emission in metric tonnes per person in United Kingdome is about 11 during 1967 but it decreases and at the end of 2007 it reduced to 9. But in Sweden during 1967 is 9 but it rockted to 11 during 1977 but then it decreases gradually and reached to 7 at the end of 2007. In Italy during 1967 is on 4 but it rises and at the end of 2007 it reached to 8. Similarly in Portugal during 1967 is on 1 which is lowest in graph but it rises and reached to 7 at the end of 2007.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all four countries and identifies the main trends, such as the decline in the UK and Sweden and the growth in Italy and Portugal. However, the overview is weak; it is integrated into the second sentence rather than being a distinct paragraph, and it lacks a clear summary of the overall contrast between the two groups of countries. The data reporting is generally accurate, but the description of the trends is somewhat repetitive and lacks analytical depth. To improve, ensure you provide a clear, separate overview paragraph that highlights the most significant trends and differences at a glance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into two paragraphs, but the structure is quite basic. The flow between sentences is often mechanical, relying on simple connectors like 'but' and 'in'. There is a lack of sophisticated cohesive devices to link ideas smoothly. For instance, the transition between the UK/Sweden trends and the Italy/Portugal trends is abrupt. Paragraphing is present, but the division of information could be more logical; grouping the countries by their similar trends (those that decreased vs. those that increased) would have improved the overall coherence significantly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is functional but limited. There is significant repetition of basic verbs such as 'decreases', 'rises', and 'reached'. While the student uses some specific terms like 'metric tonnes', the range is not sufficient to demonstrate flexibility or precision. There are also spelling errors, such as 'United Kingdome' and 'rockted', which detract from the professional tone required for an Academic Task 1 response. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate a wider variety of synonyms for movement and change, such as 'fluctuated', 'declined', 'surged', or 'remained stable'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are attempts at complex sentences, they are often marred by grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('in first decked', 'in graph') and incorrect verb tenses or subject-verb agreement ('it increase', 'it decreases'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with capitalization and comma usage. The frequent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction occasionally impede the reader's flow. Focusing on consistent verb tense usage and improving control over articles and prepositions would greatly enhance the clarity of the writing.

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