Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-02
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 5.0)
The line graph illustrates average carbon dioxide emissions per individuals in four (United Kingdom, Sweden Italy, Portugal) courtiers
Overall, it is evident that United Kingdom recorded the highest average figure in 2007, Portugal and Sweden, on the other hand, experienced the lowest figure over the period.
In 1969, carbon dioxide emissions per person in the UK stood at approximately 11%, followed by Sweden probably at 8.5%. Although the proportion of Carbon emissions in The United Kingdom declined slightly approximately at 8.5% and Sweden increased steadily at10.5% and it then dramatically fall to approximately 5.5% by the end of the period.
At the beginning, percentage of carbon dioxide emissions in Italy stood at 4%, followed by probably 1.5% in Portugal. Italy showed a fluctuated trend throughout the period and finished by 8.5% in 2007. Average carbon dioxide emissions per person in Portugal showed an increase trend and 5.5% in 2007, respectively.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response provides a summary of the main features, but there are significant inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, the student states the UK started at 11% and Sweden at 8.5%, which misinterprets the units (metric tonnes per person, not percentages). Furthermore, the overview is slightly inaccurate, as the UK did not have the highest figure in 2007; the graph shows it was lower than Italy. While the response covers all four countries, the misinterpretation of the data and the lack of precision in describing the trends (e.g., 'dramatically fall') hinder the overall task achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally confusing. For example, the transition 'Although the proportion... and Sweden increased... and it then dramatically fall' is grammatically disjointed, making the logical flow difficult to follow. Referencing is also inconsistent, and the progression of ideas between the overview and the body paragraphs lacks a smooth transition. The paragraphing is present but the internal cohesion within sentences needs significant improvement to reach a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. The student consistently uses 'percentage' and 'figure' to describe metric tonnes, which is inaccurate. There are also several spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'courtiers' instead of 'countries' and 'fluctuated trend' instead of 'fluctuating trend'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to describe trends precisely, relying on basic descriptors like 'increased' or 'fell'. To improve, the student should focus on using topic-specific vocabulary related to data analysis, such as 'emissions', 'metric tonnes', 'decline', and 'fluctuation'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement, such as 'United Kingdom recorded' (missing 'the') and 'Portugal and Sweden... experienced the lowest figure' (should be plural 'figures'). Punctuation is also problematic, with missing commas and incorrect spacing, such as 'at10.5%'. The sentence structures are mostly simple or contain errors when attempting complexity. The misuse of 'percentage' throughout the text indicates a lack of control over basic descriptive grammar for data interpretation.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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