Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-06

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)

This graph shows about the average carbon dioxide emitted by a person in U.K. , Sweden, Italy and Portugal between 1967 and 2007.

Acccording to the graph, Nearly every country's graph is in reducing order except Italy and Portugal. The most carbon dioxide emissions per person is approximately 10.9-11 metric tonnes by United Kingdoms and the lowest carbon dioxide emissions in the year 1967 is approx. 1-1.5 metric tonnes by Portugal. The carbon dioxide emitted Italy and Sweden in 1967 are approximately 4.2 and 8.2 metric tonnes respectively. The final year of carbon dioxide emitted by per person showed in the graph is of year 2007. The approximate carbon dioxide emitted by per person in the year 2007 by United kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal are 8.5, 5.1, 7.8 and 5.1 metric tonnes respectively.

Sweden shows a peak of carbon dioxide emissions in the year 1977 by the increase of nearly 2 metric tonnes. While United Kingdom shows a gradual decrease in the emissions of carbon dioxide till 2007 and Portugal shows a huge increase in the carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 4 metric tonnes.

So this was all about the carbon dioxide emissions per person in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the graph, such as the overall downward trend for the UK and Sweden and the upward trend for Italy and Portugal. You also included relevant data points to support your descriptions. However, the response lacks a clear overview or summary paragraph that synthesizes the trends. The structure is somewhat fragmented, and the final sentence is informal and unnecessary. To improve, ensure you provide a clear 'overview' paragraph immediately after the introduction, highlighting the most significant differences between the countries, rather than just listing data points. This would help demonstrate a more analytical approach to the data.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the logical progression between sentences is sometimes weak. For example, the transition between the 1967 data and the 2007 data is abrupt. You rely on simple sentence structures and basic linking words like 'While' and 'So'. To achieve a higher band, try to use a wider range of cohesive devices to connect your ideas more fluidly, such as 'In contrast', 'Conversely', or 'Furthermore'. Additionally, ensure that your paragraphing is used to group related information more effectively, rather than just separating data points.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey the basic information. You use terms like 'metric tonnes', 'gradual decrease', and 'peak' correctly. However, there are some awkward phrasings, such as 'reducing order' and 'the final year of carbon dioxide emitted by per person'. These errors slightly hinder the natural flow of the text. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and academic vocabulary. Avoid informal phrasing like 'So this was all about' at the end of your report, as it is not appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'The most carbon dioxide emissions... is' (should be 'are') and 'emitted by per person' (should be 'emitted per person'). There are also issues with article usage and preposition choice throughout the text. To reach a higher band, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions when describing data trends. Proofreading for these small but frequent errors will significantly improve the overall accuracy of your writing.

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

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