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 line graph below shows average visual representation of emission of CO2 by per person in various countries yearly and represented on a graph.
Overall, each country has their increase and decrease in amount of CO2 along with time. In graph, the CO2 emission is shown on y-axis ranging from 0 to 12 metric tones whereas, years range from 1967 and reported till 2007, while the countries involved in this researched data are: UK, Sweden, Italy and Portugal.
As per report, UK had highest amount of CO2 emissions by per person, reported around 10.2 metric tones in 1967 and this number almost stayed consistent for couple of years and then from 1977 this number started to gradually decrease and till 2007 its approximately 8.3. On the other hand, sweden had a steep line of emissions in 1977 going upward from 8.2 to 10.1 and then this same pattern of sudden change can be seen directly from 10.1 to 6.2 MT (metric tones).
Similarly, Italy and Portugal shows almost same amount of growth of CO2 emissions but start and end of portugal is double of Italy.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the graph, but the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identify the UK's downward trend and Sweden's fluctuations, the description of Italy and Portugal is vague and inaccurate. You state that the start and end of Portugal is double that of Italy, which is not supported by the data provided in the graph. Furthermore, the overview is quite generic and lacks a clear synthesis of the comparative trends. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points mentioned are accurate and that you provide a more comprehensive comparison between all four countries throughout the period.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive. For example, the transition 'As per report' is not standard for academic writing. The progression of ideas is logical, but the connection between sentences could be smoother. The final paragraph is underdeveloped and lacks a clear link to the previous sections. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear focus would enhance the overall flow of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and sophistication. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'amount of CO2 along with time' and 'visual representation of emission of CO2 by per person'. You also use 'metric tones' incorrectly; the standard term is 'metric tonnes'. While you attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary, the range is limited, and there are errors in word choice that occasionally make the text sound unnatural. Expanding your repertoire of academic collocations and ensuring correct spelling of technical units would improve your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include missing articles ('In graph', 'UK had highest'), incorrect prepositions ('by per person'), and subject-verb agreement errors ('Italy and Portugal shows'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, particularly the use of articles and pluralisation. Increasing the variety of complex structures while maintaining accuracy will also help you move into a higher band.
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.