Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-08

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 5.0)

The graph illustrates the average carbon dioxide emissions per person in the United kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal between 1967 and 2007.

Overview, it is clear that United kingdom had the highest number of carbon dioxide, while Portugal had the lowest number of carbon dioxide. In addition, there was a significant difference between most and least popular metric tonnes.

Looking at the details, the United kingdom stood at 9 average. It was followed by Italy with 7 average of carbon dioxide. Similarly, Sweden had 6 average of carbon dioxide which was slightly lower than Italy.

In comparison, Portugal had only 5 average of carbon dioxide which was slightly lower than Sweden. Overall, United kingdom there are most popular carbon dioxide while Portugal there was a least popular carbon dioxide.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. Furthermore, the analysis is superficial. You have provided static figures for a single point in time rather than describing the trends over the 40-year period (1967–2007). The task requires identifying changes, such as the decline in UK emissions or the rise in Sweden's figures. By only stating the values at one point, you have not fully addressed the requirements of the prompt. The overview is also vague and lacks a clear summary of the main trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into short paragraphs, which is a positive start. However, the logical progression is weak because the data is not presented as a coherent narrative of change over time. Cohesive devices are limited and repetitive; for example, you use 'In addition' and 'In comparison' in a mechanical way. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the lack of transition between the overview and the body paragraphs makes the structure feel disjointed. To improve, focus on linking sentences to show how the data points relate to one another over the specified timeframe.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. You frequently use the phrase 'average of carbon dioxide' and 'number of carbon dioxide', which is inaccurate as CO2 emissions are measured in metric tonnes per person. The word 'popular' is used incorrectly to describe emission levels; 'highest' or 'greatest' would be more appropriate. There is a lack of variety in your reporting verbs and descriptive language. To reach a higher band, you need to use more precise terminology related to data analysis, such as 'fluctuated', 'declined', 'remained stable', or 'peaked'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The sentence structures are simple and repetitive, consisting mostly of basic subject-verb-object patterns. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'United kingdom had the highest number of carbon dioxide' (missing 'the' before United Kingdom and incorrect noun usage). You also struggle with prepositions and articles throughout the text. While the meaning is generally understandable, the lack of complex sentence structures and the frequency of basic errors limit your score. You should practice using subordinating conjunctions and relative clauses to add variety and sophistication to your writing.

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

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