Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-23

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)

This graph is mainly about the average carbon dioxide co2 emission per person in multiple countries including: the United kingdom , Sweden,Portugal and Italy in 40 years ,from 1967 and to 2007. The most obvious feature is that Portugal ,even though its emission is increasing moderately over the 4 decades ,it still emits the least metric tonnes of this gaz compared to the other three countries. Meanwhile, and even when the united kingdom’s average co2 emission per person is slowly decreasing, it is still the biggest emitter of this dangerous gaz. What is noticeable is that between 1967 and 1977, except the uk which its emission was constant, the other three countries’ has significantly increased by 1 to 2 tonnes per person. Right after, the uk and Sweden emissions have dropped with different rates ,which is great for the environment bit is unfortunately still not enough , because even with this decrease the overall emissions did grow because of the increase in the emission of the other two countries. That said , to protect our dear earth’s atmosphere we need to take serious measures concerning the high levels of carbon dioxide emission.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have identified the main features and provided a clear summary of the trends. However, the response lacks a clear structure, such as a separate overview paragraph, which is essential for a high band score in Task 1. While you mention the UK, Sweden, Italy, and Portugal, your description of the data is somewhat imprecise (e.g., '1 to 2 tonnes' is a vague estimation). To improve, ensure you clearly group the countries by their trends (e.g., those that increased versus those that decreased) and provide more precise data points from the graph to support your comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is written as a single paragraph, which hinders logical progression. IELTS Academic Task 1 requires clear paragraphing to separate the introduction/overview from the body details. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Meanwhile' and 'That said', the flow is often interrupted by awkward phrasing and punctuation errors. Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the sentence 'the other three countries’ has significantly increased', where the subject is missing or grammatically detached. Improving the use of paragraph breaks and transition signals will significantly enhance the readability and coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several spelling errors ('gaz' instead of 'gas', 'uk' instead of 'UK') and informal word choices like 'dear earth’s'. You attempt to use descriptive language such as 'moderately' and 'significantly', which is positive. However, the repetition of 'emission' and the lack of variety in reporting verbs limit your score. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensure correct spelling of technical terms and proper nouns.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly with subject-verb agreement and punctuation. For example, 'the other three countries’ has significantly increased' is grammatically incorrect, and the sentence structure is often run-on. You use some complex structures, but they are frequently marred by errors, such as 'even when the united kingdom’s average co2 emission per person is slowly decreasing, it is still the biggest emitter'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after commas and incorrect capitalization. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for punctuation will help improve your accuracy.

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

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