Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The given line graph illustrates the proportion of emission of carbon dioxide per person in five different countries (the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal) from 1976 to 2007.

Overall, it is clear that the emission of carbon dioxide in Sweden and Portugal remained the same in 2007, while the United Kingdom had the highest percentage of carbon dioxide emission.

In 1967, in the United Kingdom the emission of carbon dioxide accounted for 11 metric tonnes and it remained the same in 1977. In contrast, in 1987 the level of carbon dioxide emission fell gradually to 10 metric tonnes, after that it started continuously declining and reached to 9 metric tonnes in 2007. Furthermore, in 1967, in Sweden almost 9 metric tonnes was the total emission of carbon dioxide and the figure rose steadily from 9 metric tonnes to almost 11 metric tonnes in 1977. The rate of carbon dioxide emission dropped significantly to 7 metric tonnes in 1987 and then reached 5 metric tonnes in 2007.

Italy had higher emission of carbon dioxide than 4 metric tonnes in 1967, and the figure rose sharply from 4 metric tonnes to 6 metric tonnes in 1977. Moreover, the emission of carbon dioxide was about 7 metric tonnes in 1976 and the number remained the same in 2007. In Portugal, the emission of carbon dioxide was 1 metric tonne in 1976 and then it increased to 5 metric tonnes in 2007.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the graph, including trends and key data points for all four countries. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, the prompt states the period is 1967–2007, but the text mentions 1976 multiple times, which is not supported by the graph. Additionally, the overview is slightly inaccurate; the graph shows the UK had the highest emissions for most of the period, but it does not remain the highest throughout, nor do Sweden and Portugal end at the same level. While the task is addressed, the factual errors regarding dates and data points prevent a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is generally clear, and the writer uses cohesive devices such as 'In contrast,' 'Furthermore,' and 'Moreover' to link sentences. However, the referencing is occasionally mechanical, and the paragraphing could be improved by grouping countries more effectively to facilitate better comparisons. The transition between the description of the UK and the other countries is functional but could be more fluid to enhance the overall flow of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with attempts to use descriptive verbs like 'declining,' 'rose steadily,' and 'dropped significantly.' However, there is some repetition of phrases such as 'emission of carbon dioxide' and 'metric tonnes.' The word choice is generally accurate, though the phrasing 'proportion of emission' is slightly unnatural in this context. To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more varied synonyms and precise collocations to describe trends, rather than repeating the same noun phrases throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'reached to 9 metric tonnes' (should be 'reached 9 metric tonnes') and 'higher emission of carbon dioxide than 4 metric tonnes' (should be 'emissions of over 4 metric tonnes'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The control of tense is generally consistent, but the preposition usage and verb patterns require more attention to achieve greater accuracy.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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