Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The graph given demonstrates the average proportion of carbon dioxide emission by each person in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal from 1967 to 2007.

Overall, the ratio of emitted carbon dioxide by Italy's people and Portugal's people is increased, while the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the United kingdom's people and Sweden's population is decreased over time. However, all country's population showed a significant change in carbon dioxide emission from 1967 to 2007.

Examining the details, the average proportion of carbon dioxide's emission of Portugal's individuals was 1% in 1967, which sharply climbed to 5% in 2007. Moreover, the ratio of Italy's population was approximately 4.2% in 1967, this ratio was rapidly jumped to 7% in 2007.

By contrast, the amount of release of carbon dioxide by per person of Sweden was 8.5% in 1967, subsequently which dropped to 5% in 2007, that was a great difference. Similarly, the average percentage of emission of carbon dioxide by each resident of the United Kingdom was 11% in 1967, later this ratio fell down to about 9% in 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 contrasting movements: the upward trend for Italy and Portugal and the downward trend for the UK and Sweden. The overview is clear and highlights the main differences effectively. However, the data points are occasionally imprecise (e.g., using percentages when the graph likely refers to metric tonnes). To reach a higher band, ensure that the units of measurement are correctly identified from the prompt and that the data is reported with greater precision to support the comparisons made.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

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 data points. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover,' 'By contrast,' and 'Similarly' to link sentences. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be smoother. For instance, the phrase 'subsequently which dropped' is grammatically awkward and disrupts the flow. Improving the variety and naturalness of your linking words will help achieve a higher score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'sharply climbed,' 'rapidly jumped,' and 'significant change.' However, there are some issues with word choice and collocation. For example, 'average proportion of carbon dioxide emission' is not the most natural way to describe emissions per capita. Additionally, 'amount of release of carbon dioxide' is wordy and slightly unnatural. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing when describing trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors. For example, 'all country's population' should be 'all countries' populations,' and 'the ratio of Italy's population was... this ratio was rapidly jumped' contains a redundant verb structure. There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases (e.g., 'by per person of Sweden'). Increasing the frequency of error-free complex sentences and proofreading for subject-verb agreement will significantly improve your score.

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

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