Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-07
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 illustrate the average carbon dioxide emissions per person in the UK, Sweden, Italy and Portugal between 1967 and 2007.
Overall, it is clear that Uk and Sweden experienced an downward trend. Meanwhile, italy and portugal showed an overall upward trend over the period.
Looking first at UK, the figure stood at about 10.8 metric tonnes in 1967 but decrease gradually. While, Sweden started with 8.9 metric tonnes and rose to 10.1 metric tonnes before fell significantly through out the period.
Turning to remaining categories, Portugal exprienced an significant rise from 1.8 metric tonnes in 1967 to 4.1 in 2007. In contrast, Italy started with 4.1 metric tonnes in 1967 and increased gradually to 7.9 metric tonnes in 2007.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the development of the task. While you have identified the main trends and provided some data points, the analysis is quite brief. You have selected key features, such as the downward trend for the UK and Sweden and the upward trend for Italy and Portugal, but the lack of sufficient detail and the failure to reach the word count limit prevent a higher score. To improve, ensure you provide a more comprehensive overview and include more comparative analysis between the countries to fully develop your response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile', 'Looking first at', and 'In contrast' to transition between ideas. However, the flow is somewhat mechanical, and the brevity of the paragraphs limits the development of a cohesive argument. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that connects back to the overall trend described in the introduction.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'metric tonnes', 'downward trend', and 'upward trend'. However, there are some spelling errors, such as 'exprienced' instead of 'experienced', and minor grammatical slips in word choice. The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the sophistication or variety required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more precise reporting verbs and synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' to avoid repetition and enhance the academic tone of your writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are several grammatical errors that affect the accuracy of your writing. For example, 'The given line graph illustrate' should be 'illustrates', and 'Uk and Sweden experienced an downward trend' should be 'a downward trend'. Additionally, there are issues with verb tenses and articles, such as 'before fell significantly' instead of 'before falling significantly'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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