Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-03
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 demonstrates the emissions of gas like carbon dioxide per person in four different countries such as United kingdom ,Sweden ,Italy ,Portugal from 1967 to 2007.
overall, carbon dioxide emissions showed in a metric tonnes in which United kingdom was at highest position all over the period. Whereas ,Portugal faced lowest position over the whole period compared to remaining countries.
First and foremost, carbon dioxide emission in Sweden was about 9 metric tonnes in 1967, but after it showed a peak point in 1977 for about 10 metric tonnes. carbon dioxide in Sweden decline dramatically after a slight dip in 1987. United kingdom showed highest points all over the period compared to other countries as almost 11 metric tonnes in 1967and after a slower decline pace showed approximately 9 metric tonnes.
Secondly, countries like Italy and Portugal rose significantly from 1967 to 2007 faced slight fluctuations in their pace. Sweden and Portugal almost universal in the year 2007
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response provides a general overview and identifies some key trends, such as the UK being the highest and Portugal the lowest. However, the analysis is inconsistent. For instance, the description of Sweden's trend is somewhat confusing, and the comparison between Italy and Portugal is vague, lacking specific data points to support the 'significant rise' claim. The summary of the final year is also imprecise. To improve, ensure that every trend mentioned is supported by specific data from the graph and that comparisons are clearly articulated rather than generalized.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally misused, such as 'First and foremost' and 'Secondly', which feel forced in a data description task. The transition between sentences is sometimes abrupt, making the flow feel disjointed. Referencing is also inconsistent; for example, the phrase 'Sweden and Portugal almost universal' is unclear and lacks a logical connection to the previous sentences. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words would enhance the overall flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for higher bands. There are several awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'emissions of gas like carbon dioxide' (which is redundant) and 'showed in a metric tonnes' (grammatically incorrect). Phrases like 'highest position' and 'lowest position' are repetitive. To achieve a higher score, you should use more precise terminology related to data trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'remained stable', and avoid repetitive phrasing by using synonyms and more sophisticated academic vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally hinder clarity. Issues include missing articles ('in United kingdom'), incorrect preposition usage ('showed in a metric tonnes'), and punctuation errors (spacing around commas). Subject-verb agreement is also inconsistent, such as 'carbon dioxide in Sweden decline dramatically'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for basic articles and verb forms would significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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