Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-04

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 6.0)

The given line chart illustrates the metric tons of carbon dioxide emitted by humans in countries such as United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal between 1967 to 2007.

Overall, it is crystal clear that the amount of carbon dioxide produced in UK and Sweden had shown a decline trend, Whereas, Italy and Portugal had shown the increased level in the production of carbon dioxide.

To start with, in the year 1967, the country which emitted the highest levels of carbon dioxide are UK and Sweden, which was between 8-12 metric tons. However, countries such as Italy and Portugal had produced the lowest amount, which was between 1-6 metric tons. in year 1977, it is clear that each country was showing esclated trend, as Sweden had rose to 11 metric tons of carbon dioxide emission in that year and Italy had reached to 7 million tons of carbon dioxide.

Furthermore, in the year 1997, the graph had shown a huge variation as the countries such as UK and Sweden who were the highest carbon dioxide emitting countries, had reached a low off which was between 11-6 metric tons at that time. Although, countries such as Italy and Portugal had reached a high off position such as 8 million tons and 7 million tons respectively. Finally, in the year 2007, the UK was still at the highest position with 9 metric tons of mankind producing carbon dioxide. The second highest position was now attained by Italy with 8 metric tons of carbon dioxide emission. Then it comes the Sweden and Portugal with 5 metric tons of carbon dioxide.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all requirements by identifying the main trends and making relevant comparisons. You successfully highlighted the contrasting patterns between the UK/Sweden and Italy/Portugal. However, the report suffers from some inaccuracies in data interpretation. For instance, you mention 'mankind producing carbon dioxide' and '7 million tons', whereas the graph measures metric tons per person. Additionally, some data points are described vaguely, such as 'between 11-6 metric tons', which lacks the precision expected for a Band 7. To improve, ensure you accurately interpret the units and specific data points provided in the graph to support your summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear overall progression from the introduction to the final summary. You use cohesive devices such as 'To start with', 'Furthermore', and 'Finally' to structure the response. However, the use of some cohesive devices is slightly mechanical or awkward, such as 'Then it comes the Sweden'. Additionally, some referencing is unclear, particularly when discussing the trends of multiple countries simultaneously. Improving the variety and natural flow of linking phrases will help elevate your score in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'decline trend', and 'variation'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'mankind producing carbon dioxide' and 'reached a low off'. Some phrasing is also repetitive, and there are minor errors in word formation (e.g., 'esclated' instead of 'escalating'). To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring that your collocations are natural and accurate in the context of data reporting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues (e.g., 'the country... are UK and Sweden') and incorrect preposition usage. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the capitalization of 'in year 1977' and 'Although' at the start of a sentence. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and article usage will be beneficial.

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

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