Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The given line graph illustrates the average Carbon Dioxide emissions per person in UK, Sweden, Italy and Portugal between 1967 and 2007.

Overall, it is clear that Italy and Portugal experienced overall upward trend. Meanwhile, Sweden and Uk showed an downward trend over the period.

Looking first at Uk, the figure stood at around 10.9 metric tonnes in 1967 then decreased gradually to around 8.8 metric tonnes by the end of 2007. Sweden, meanwhile, started at around 8.3 metric tonnes in 1967. The figure then rose to approximately 10.2 metric tonnes in 1977, before falling sharply to 5.9 metric tonnes in 2007.

Turning to Portugal and Italy, Portugal started with the lowest figure of 1.6 metric tonnes in 1967 but the figure rose significantly to around 5.8 metric tonnes in 1997 , reaching about 5,9 metric tonnes in 2007. In contrast, Italy began from almost 4.1 metric tonnes of carbon emission in 1967. The figure increased to 6.1 metric tonnes in 1977 to 7.9 metric tonnnes by the 2007.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully identifies the main trends and provides a clear overview. You have selected key data points to support your descriptions, such as the starting and ending figures for each country. The comparison between the countries is effective, particularly in the overview paragraph. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are accurate; for instance, the description of Italy's trend mentions a rise to 7.9 metric tonnes by 2007, which is a good use of data. The summary is well-structured and covers all countries mentioned in the prompt, fulfilling the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on the two distinct trends. Cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile', 'Looking first at', and 'In contrast' are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the information is presented in a way that is easy to follow. The use of referencing is generally clear, though minor improvements in the variety of linking phrases could further enhance the flow of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the trends, such as 'upward trend', 'decreased gradually', 'rose significantly', and 'falling sharply'. These terms are appropriate for a data description task. There are a few minor errors, such as 'tonnnes' (spelling) and 'carbon emission' (should be plural 'emissions' to match the context). While the vocabulary is adequate and precise enough for the task, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or synonyms for 'figure' would help demonstrate a wider range of lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear and error-free, though there are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'showed an downward trend' (should be 'a downward') and 'began from almost 4.1 metric tonnes' (should be 'began at'). Punctuation is generally handled well, although there is a minor inconsistency in the use of commas and decimal points (e.g., '5,9' instead of '5.9'). Despite these small errors, the meaning is never obscured, and the grammar is generally reliable.

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

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