Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-22

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 illustrates the amount of per person carbon dioxide emissions in four countries ( the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy, and Portugal) between 1967 to 2007. Units are measured in metric tonnes.

Overall, the amount of carbon dioxide decreased considerably in Sweden and the UK. While the dramatic increased was seen of emissions in Italy and Portugal over the period of 40 years.

In 1967, the United Kingdom per person emissions stood at approximately 10.5 metric tonnes. Over the following years, this figure fell sharply, reaching to around 8.5 metric tonnes emissions of an individual in 2007. Meanwhile, Sweden recorded at 8.5 metric tonnes, before rising to about 10 metric tonnes in 1977, and then dropped to 5 metric tonnes towards at the end of the period.

By contrast, a noticeable change was observed in Italy from 4 metric tonnes per person emissions in 1967 to around 8 metric tonnes in 2004. Likewise, Portugal had the least metric tonnes of carbon dioxide among all countries, accounting for around 1.9 to 5 metric tonnes throughout the given period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the main trends for each country. You successfully highlighted the contrasting patterns between the declining emissions in the UK and Sweden versus the growth in Italy and Portugal. However, the overview is slightly underdeveloped; while you mention the general trends, you could improve by explicitly noting the relative positions of the countries (e.g., the UK starting as the highest emitter). Some data points are slightly imprecise, such as the description of Sweden's trend, which requires more careful tracking of the fluctuations to fully capture the 'main features' required for a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is clear, moving from the general trends to specific country data. You use some cohesive devices like 'Meanwhile', 'By contrast', and 'Likewise' to link ideas. However, the cohesion is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel slightly forced. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the declining countries from the increasing ones, which helps the reader follow the comparison effectively. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words to ensure the flow between sentences is more natural.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'considerable', 'dramatic', and 'fluctuations' (implied). However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'dramatic increased was seen of emissions' and 'reaching to around'. These errors do not impede communication but show a lack of precision. To reach a higher band, focus on using more sophisticated collocations related to data description, such as 'a downward trend' or 'a steady climb', and ensure that your word forms (e.g., 'increase' vs 'increased') are used correctly in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'reaching to around 8.5 metric tonnes emissions of an individual' and 'Sweden recorded at 8.5 metric tonnes'. The phrase 'dramatic increased was seen of emissions' is also grammatically incorrect. These errors are noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions when describing data points on a graph.

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.