Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-29

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 5.0)

The line graph explains average greenhouse emissions per individual in the given countries from 1967 to 2007

In portugal,emission of carbon dioxide by person was 1 metric tonnes in year 1967.After one decade , it was inclined and reaches to 3 metric tonnes in year 1987. emissions of carbon dioxide remain stable between 1997 and 2007 that was 5.5 meric tonnes.

In united kingdom,11 metric tonnes carbon dioxide was emitted by individuals in 1967.it was declining year by year.from 1987 to 1997, carbon emissions ranges from 10 metric tonnes .in 2007,9 metric tonnes were emitted by individuals.

In sweden,carbon dioxide gas emissions from 9 metric tonnes to 10 metric tonnes in 1977.after this year,it was rapidly declining and reaches to 6 metric tonnes in 1997.9 metric tonnes gas released by person in year 2007.

In italy,4.2 metric tonnes emitted by peoplein 1967.from 1977to 1987 it ranges from 6 metric tonnes to 7 metric tonnes . emissions of carbon dioxide remained same till 2007 that was 7.9 metric tonnes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers all four countries and provides data points for the years mentioned. However, it lacks an overview of the main trends, which is a critical requirement for Task 1. The report is essentially a list of data points for each country rather than a summary of the main features and comparisons. For example, it fails to highlight that the UK and Sweden saw a decline while Portugal and Italy experienced an upward trend. To improve, you must include an introductory overview paragraph that identifies the most significant trends across the entire period.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into paragraphs by country, which is a logical approach. However, the use of cohesive devices is very limited and mechanical. There is a lack of linking words to connect ideas within sentences or to compare the countries. For instance, the transition between sentences is often abrupt, such as 'In portugal... After one decade...'. The use of referencing is also weak, making the text feel like a series of isolated statements rather than a cohesive report. More variety in transition signals is needed to improve the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is repetitive and limited, relying heavily on basic terms like 'emitted', 'metric tonnes', and 'year'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'it was inclined' instead of 'it increased' or 'it rose'. The spelling of 'meric' and the lack of capitalization for proper nouns like 'Portugal', 'United Kingdom', and 'Italy' are noticeable errors. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate a wider range of vocabulary related to trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', 'remained constant', or 'a gradual rise'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response relies on simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'emission of carbon dioxide by person was 1 metric tonnes' (should be 'per person' and '1 metric tonne'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after periods and incorrect capitalization throughout. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of basic grammatical errors and the lack of complex sentence structures limit the score. Focusing on sentence variety and proofreading for basic errors would be beneficial.

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.