Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-30
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 line chart illustrates the information about average CO2 released per individiual in the UK, Sweden, Italy and Portugal from 1967 to 2007.
It is evident from the chart that in 1967, CO2 emission per person in the UK was 12 metric tone , however it was noticed that there was gradually declined in the figure and in 2007 , approximetely 9 metric tone CO2 was emmit by the people . Moving further to Sweden , 8 meteric tone CO2 was released by the people in 1967. Intersitingly , the figure rose to its peak point which was around 11 metric tone in 1977. Notably , there was drastic declined in the figure which was 7 tone in 1987. In 2007 , total carbon emsisiion was 5 metric
futher , in 1967, average carbon dioxide emission of Italy was 5 metric tone , however in 1977 it inclined to 7 metric tone and there is steady increase in the number till 1997 , in addition after 1997 , the figure stood at constant postion ,till 2007. Turning to Portugal, where in 1967 the average CO2 emmision was only 1 metric tone , however it then the number climmed to 5 metric tone in 2007 , colliding with Sweden .
Overall,average carbon emmision in the UK and Sweden declines over the time , in contrast with the Italy and Portugual where it is noticed that the figure was inclined .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all four countries and identifies the main trends, such as the overall decline in the UK and Sweden versus the growth in Italy and Portugal. However, the report is marred by significant inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, the student states the UK figure was 12 metric tonnes in 1967, which is incorrect based on the provided chart, and the description of Sweden's data is fragmented and confusing. While the overview is present, the lack of precision in reporting the data points prevents the response from reaching a higher band. The summary of trends is clear, but the supporting details are unreliable.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, body paragraphs for the countries, and an overview. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused. Phrases like 'Moving further to' and 'futher' (spelling error) are used to transition, but the internal flow within paragraphs is disjointed. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when discussing the data points for Sweden and Italy. Paragraphing is present, but the logical progression is hindered by the repetitive structure of the sentences and the lack of sophisticated linking words.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. There are numerous spelling errors throughout the text, such as 'individiual', 'tone' (used instead of tonnes), 'approximetely', 'emmit', 'Intersitingly', 'emsisiion', and 'climmed'. These errors are frequent and occasionally distracting. While the student attempts to use some topic-specific vocabulary like 'metric tonnes' and 'carbon emission', the consistent misspelling and the lack of variety in reporting verbs (e.g., 'inclined', 'declined') restrict the range. To improve, the student needs to focus on accurate spelling and expanding their repertoire of verbs to describe trends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in article usage, subject-verb agreement, and tense consistency (e.g., 'there was gradually declined', 'CO2 was emmit by the people'). Punctuation is also problematic, with spaces placed before commas and periods. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of grammatical errors forces the reader to work harder to interpret the intended message. A greater focus on basic sentence construction and proofreading for grammatical slips is necessary.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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