Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-31
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 line graph represents a result of an analytical survey conducted related to the emission of carbon dioxide per citizen in four different countries from the year 1967 to 2007. The units are in metric tonnes.
Overall, The United Kingdom has always been at the top since the beginning. Sweden peaked in the first decade and later dropped drastically. Portugal and Italy have similar trends in the 40 year.
The United Kingdoms is marked to be the highest with 11 metric tonnes of carbon in the starting. Gradually after 1977 it began to decrease dramatically. However, it still remained as the country emitting the maximum carbon dioxide gas. In first 10 years emission in Sweden rose to 10 tonnes. Later came across significant downfall.
Portugal and Italy have increased emission in a dramatical manner. In Italy starting from 4 tonnes it ended up being the second highest emitter in 2007. With 100 percent increase it reached around 8 metric tonnes. Portugal has the lowest emission among all four countries with only 1 metric tonnes. Further, it rocketed to 5 metric tonnes 1997.
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 provides a clear overview and identifies key trends for all four countries. You successfully highlighted the UK's dominance, Sweden's decline, and the growth in Italy and Portugal. However, the data reporting is occasionally inaccurate. For instance, you state the UK started at 11 tonnes, but the graph shows it closer to 10.5, and your claim that Portugal had 'only 1 metric tonnes' is slightly imprecise. Additionally, the description of Italy's growth as a '100 percent increase' is a calculation that is not explicitly supported by the visual data. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are read with greater precision and that comparisons are more consistently supported by the provided figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is generally clear, moving from the UK and Sweden to the rising trends of Italy and Portugal. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'Later' and 'In'. Some transitions between sentences feel abrupt, which hinders the flow. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect your ideas more fluidly, ensuring that the relationship between sentences is always explicit.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'analytical survey', 'drastically', and 'rocketed' to describe trends. However, there are some issues with word choice and collocation. For example, 'marked to be the highest' is unnatural, and 'dramatical manner' should be 'dramatic manner'. Additionally, there are minor grammatical errors in noun-number agreement, such as '1 metric tonnes' instead of '1 metric tonne'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'The United Kingdoms is marked' (incorrect pluralization), 'In first 10 years' (missing article), and '1 metric tonnes' (subject-verb/number agreement). These errors are frequent but do not impede communication. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and article usage. Incorporating more varied complex sentence structures with greater accuracy would also help in achieving a higher band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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