Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-28
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 given graph shows the changing in carbon emissions per person of four countries from 1967 to 2007.
The carbon emissions are decreasing in the UK and Sweden from last records however it is increasing in the Italy and Portugal over the decades.
The UK started from the highest metric tonnes of carbon emissions per person in 1967. Although in 2007 it is still at top of the chart with almost 8.8 metric tonnes. But has quiet reasonable improvement. The Sweden rises around 1980 s but control the emissions and we see a major decline in ratio. In 2007 it falls as equal to Portugal.
The Italy rises and surpass the Sweden in 1990 s and goes to 2nd place in the graph behind the UK in 2007. The Portugal remains at the bottom of the graph in all decades but it's carbon emissions per person in metric tonnes are increasing day by day.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| 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, identifying the trends for the four countries. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For example, stating that the UK has 'quiet reasonable improvement' is vague and lacks the precision required for an Academic Task 1 response. Furthermore, the description of the data is occasionally inaccurate; for instance, the claim that Sweden 'falls as equal to Portugal' in 2007 is not supported by the visual data, which shows a clear gap. To reach a higher band, you must ensure that your descriptions of trends are factually precise and that you highlight the most significant comparisons rather than just listing country-by-country movements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes awkward. Phrases like 'The Sweden rises' and 'The Italy rises' are grammatically incorrect and disrupt the flow. The transition between sentences is often abrupt, lacking sophisticated linking words to connect the trends logically. While there is an overall progression, the lack of variety in cohesive devices and the repetitive sentence structures make the writing feel somewhat disjointed. Improving the use of referencing and transition signals will significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range expected at higher levels. You rely on basic verbs like 'rises' and 'falls' repeatedly. There are also noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'changing in carbon emissions' instead of 'changes in carbon emissions' and 'highest metric tonnes' instead of 'highest level of emissions'. The phrase 'day by day' is also inappropriate for describing long-term trends over decades. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and precise terminology related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'a downward trend'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include incorrect article usage ('the Italy', 'the Sweden'), subject-verb agreement errors ('The Sweden rises'), and tense inconsistencies. For example, 'The UK started... although in 2007 it is still' mixes past and present incorrectly. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. You should focus on proofreading for basic articles and ensuring consistent tense usage when describing historical data.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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