Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-26
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 average carbon dioxide emission(metric tonnes) per person from countries namely: United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal over the period of 51 years, spanning from 1967 to 2007.
Overall, an uneven distribution of CO2 emission can be observed among participating countries. The countries(Italy and Portugal) which contributes least for CO2 emission by the start of the period has an upward trend. While the UK and Sweden represents a downward trend on the graph despite most carbon dioxide emission at the start of the period.
Portugal contributed least in carbon emission by the start of the time frame which was slightly more than 1 metric tonnes, which grew to approximately 5 metric tonnes of CO2 emission by the end of timeline. A similar trend has been observed for Italy whose carbon emission grew from just above 4 million tonnes to slightly less than 8 metric tonnes.
By contrast, UK helped in reducing carbon emission from around 11 to slightly above 8 million tonnes. Although UK tops for CO2 emission from start to end of the period.
Sweden shown a dramatic decline matching Protugal by the end of the
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response identifies the main trends and provides some data points, but the task is incomplete. The final sentence is cut off mid-thought, and the data reporting is inconsistent, particularly regarding the units (mixing 'metric tonnes' with 'million tonnes'). While the overview captures the general divergence between the countries, the lack of a complete conclusion and the incomplete final sentence prevent a higher score. To improve, ensure all data points are accurate and that the response is fully finished, avoiding abrupt endings that leave the analysis incomplete.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression is hindered by the incomplete final sentence. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'By contrast' and 'Although', but some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, but the abrupt ending significantly disrupts the flow of the final paragraph. To improve, focus on ensuring that every paragraph has a clear, complete conclusion and that cohesive devices are used to link ideas more fluidly rather than just starting new sentences.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with attempts at descriptive language like 'uneven distribution' and 'dramatic decline'. However, there are inaccuracies in word choice and units, such as referring to 'million tonnes' when the graph clearly indicates 'metric tonnes'. Additionally, there are minor errors in subject-verb agreement, such as 'countries... which contributes' and 'UK and Sweden represents'. Expanding the range of vocabulary to include more precise reporting verbs and avoiding unit confusion would help elevate the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'countries namely: United Kingdom' (punctuation error), 'contributes least for CO2' (preposition error), and 'Sweden shown a dramatic decline' (missing auxiliary verb). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall accuracy. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and prepositions when describing data trends.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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