Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 given graph illustrates average carbon dioxide emissions per person in the united kingdom, sweden, Italy and Portugal between 1967 and 2007.

Overall, it is clear that Italy has rises, while United Kingdom is decease. In addition, Sweden has increased in 1977 then decease and meet with the portugal in 2007 can be observed over the given period.

At the beginning of the period, in 1967 portugal stood at 1 and goes in upward direction, while Italy was at 4. Portugal then increased reaching 4 in 2007. Meanwhile, Italy followed a similar opposite trend and reached 8 in 2007.

From 1967 onwards, United Kingdom continued to fall, reaching 8 by 2007. In contrast, sweden increased in 1967 after that it is decreased with the rate 5 and meet with portugal. By the end of the period, Portugal and Italy had the highest figure, whereas sweden and United Kingdom had the lowest.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the task by identifying the main trends, but the accuracy of the data reporting is problematic. For example, you state that the UK reached 8 by 2007, whereas the graph shows it falling to approximately 8 from a higher point, and your description of Sweden is confusing and inaccurate regarding the final figures. The overview is present but lacks clarity due to grammatical errors and imprecise reporting. To improve, ensure you carefully verify the data points on the graph and provide a more accurate summary of the overall trends, such as the clear downward trajectory of the UK versus the fluctuations seen in other countries.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For instance, the phrase 'Italy followed a similar opposite trend' is contradictory and confusing. The transition between sentences is sometimes abrupt, and the logical progression of ideas is hindered by the lack of clear referencing. While there is an attempt to group information, the relationships between the data points are not always clearly signposted, making the overall flow feel somewhat disjointed.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, often relying on basic verbs like 'increased' and 'decreased'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'goes in upward direction' instead of 'showed an upward trend' or 'rose steadily'. Additionally, there are consistent errors in capitalization (e.g., 'united kingdom', 'sweden', 'portugal'), which detracts from the professional tone required for an Academic Task 1 response. To achieve a higher score, you should incorporate a wider range of precise vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'remained stable'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'Italy has rises', 'United Kingdom is decease') and tense usage. Sentence structures are generally simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors, such as 'Sweden increased in 1977 then decease and meet with the portugal'. Punctuation and capitalization are also inconsistent throughout the text. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and ensuring that your verbs correctly match the time frame of the data provided.

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