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 graph depicts the average carbon dioxide emissions per person in the four major countries of Europe ( United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal ) between 1967 and 2007.
Overall, United kingdom had a consistence decline however they produce highest amount of CO2. Portugal and Italy had a increasing trend. Sweden recorded the highest decreased rate.
In 1967, UK CO2 emissions per person was above 10 and it gradually decline to just above 8. Although it has the most CO2 emissions in 2007. In Sweden, it rose from between 8 and 10 to above 10 in first decade. it crash rapidly to below 6 in 2007. Locating the least amount of CO2 emissions with Portugal.
In contrast of Italy, it had start from above 4 in 1967 and increased to just below 8 in 2007. Portugal had a rapid growth in CO2 emission from just above 0 in 1967 to just below 6 in 2007. In spite of increase it was in last with Sweden.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response provides a clear overview of the main trends, identifying the decline in the UK and Sweden and the growth in Italy and Portugal. However, the analysis is somewhat uneven. The description of the data points is occasionally inaccurate; for instance, stating Portugal started at 'just above 0' is not supported by the graph, which shows a higher starting point. Additionally, the comparison between countries is sometimes confusing, such as the statement 'In spite of increase it was in last with Sweden,' which lacks clarity. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are read more precisely and that comparisons between the four countries are structured more logically to highlight the key differences throughout the period.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. There is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Although', and 'In spite of'. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly inaccurate, such as 'In contrast of Italy', which should be 'In contrast to Italy'. The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the internal structure of the paragraphs could be improved by grouping the countries with similar trends more effectively. Referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult to track which country is being discussed in certain sentences.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe trends (e.g., 'gradually decline', 'rapid growth', 'increasing trend'). However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'consistence decline' (should be 'consistent decline') and 'highest decreased rate' (should be 'sharpest decrease'). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptors. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise collocations for describing trends and avoid repetitive phrasing. The errors present do not impede communication, but they do limit the score in this criterion.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'United kingdom had a consistence decline', 'it had start from', 'it crash rapidly'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces inside parentheses and missing articles. While the student attempts complex sentences, these are often where the errors occur. To improve, the student should focus on basic grammatical accuracy, particularly ensuring that verb forms match the time frame of the data (past tense for 1967–2007).
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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