Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-25
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 linear graph represented the average of carbon dioxide emissions per person given period of 1967 and 2007. The given four countries in the emissions such as Uk, Sweden, Italy and Portugal.
To commence with, it is noticeable that first of all in the United Kingdom the carbon dioxide average per person at 11 metric tonnes in 1967 and step by step in 1977 to 2007 at 10.5 to 9 metric tonnes. Moreover, in the Sweden thee carbon dioxide average per person at 8.5 metric tonnes in 1967, later on increase at 10.5 in 1977 and after that the average decrease in 1987 to 2007 at 7 to 5 metric tonnes. However, in the Italy and Portugal 4.5 and 3 metric tonnes in 1967 and grow up in 1977 to 2007 at 7.5 to 5.5 matric tonnes in both countries.
Overall, it becomes apparent that United Kingdom and Italy very low average per person in carbon dioxide compared to Italy and Portugal.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the graph, but the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While you identified the trends for the four countries, the summary paragraph is confusing and contains factual inaccuracies, such as stating the UK and Italy had 'very low' emissions compared to themselves. You need to focus on grouping the countries by their trends (e.g., those that decreased versus those that increased) to provide a more coherent summary. The data points are generally accurate, but the lack of a clear, logical synthesis of the data prevents a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused. For example, 'To commence with' is an unnatural way to start a description of a graph. The transition between sentences is sometimes abrupt, and the final summary sentence is logically flawed, making it difficult to follow the comparison. Improving the use of linking words such as 'whereas', 'in contrast', or 'similarly' would help create a better flow between your observations.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. You rely heavily on basic structures like 'average per person' and 'metric tonnes'. There are also errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'matric' instead of 'metric' and 'thee' instead of 'the'. Phrases like 'grow up' are informal and inappropriate for an academic report; 'increase' or 'rise' would be more suitable. To improve, try to incorporate a wider range of verbs and nouns related to data trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'declined', or 'remained stable'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Many sentences lack main verbs, such as 'The given four countries in the emissions such as Uk...', which is a sentence fragment. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and preposition usage (e.g., 'in the Italy and Portugal'). While you attempt to use complex structures, they are often faulty. Focusing on basic sentence construction—ensuring every sentence has a clear subject and a verb—will significantly improve your accuracy and readability.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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