Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-01

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 graph illustrates the average carbon dioxide of per-capita emissions in four different countries from 1967 to 2007. A glance at the graph reveals that United Kingdom had the highest emission, while Italy and Portugal increased steadily throughout the period of time. Sweden increased slightly before falling dramatically to the end of given timeframe.

In 1967, Sweden started from around 8.5% and increased to approximately 10.5% in 1977, before declining dramatically to almost 7% in 1987 and kept falling till 2007. Whereas United Kingdom began from nearly 11% in 1969 then decreased steadily to 10 % in 1987 and continued to decline by 2007.

Furthermore, Portugal rose from nearly 1% in 1967 to 2% in 1977 before increasing further to around 5% in 1997 and then showed a slight increase to 5.5% in 2007. Italy recorded at almost 4.5 %1967 and then grew dramatically to around 6.5% in 1977, afterward the figure for Italy showed a steady increase to around 7% in 1997 and then remained stable to the end of the 2007.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all four countries and identifies the main trends, such as the UK's decline and Portugal's growth. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, the graph shows CO2 emissions in metric tonnes, not percentages, yet you consistently use the '%' symbol throughout the text. Additionally, the starting point for the UK is cited as 1969, while the graph clearly begins at 1967. These inaccuracies in data interpretation prevent the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, ensure you carefully read the units of measurement provided on the axes and double-check the starting and ending years against the visual data.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, a body paragraph for the declining countries, and a body paragraph for the increasing ones. This structure helps the reader follow the information. You use some cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'furthermore', and 'afterward' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel slightly forced. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices more naturally and ensure that the progression of ideas between sentences is smoother, particularly when shifting focus between different countries.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'declining', 'dramatically', 'steadily', and 'remained stable'. However, the consistent misuse of the percentage symbol (%) when referring to metric tonnes of CO2 emissions is a significant lexical error that impacts the accuracy of your report. Furthermore, the phrase 'average carbon dioxide of per-capita emissions' is awkward and redundant. To improve, focus on using precise terminology related to data description and ensure you correctly identify the units of measurement provided in the prompt.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'Sweden started from around 8.5% and increased to approximately 10.5% in 1977, before declining dramatically'. While many sentences are clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'recorded at almost 4.5 %1967' (missing preposition/syntax error) and 'kept falling till 2007' (slightly informal). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but there are minor issues with spacing and preposition usage. To improve, work on proofreading for small errors in verb tense consistency and ensure that complex sentences are punctuated correctly to enhance clarity.

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

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