Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-12
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 graph is a line graph illustrates the average amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per person in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal between 1967 and 2007.
The graph is illustrating the average amount of CO2 in the year 1967 in the UK as 11 metric tonnes which is the highest among the others. While Italy produced approximately 4 tonnes, Portugal 1 tonne and Sweden emitted 9 tonnes.
In the graph between 1967 to 2007 there are 2 upward raising lines of Italy and Portugal emitting 7.5 tonnes and 5.5 tonnes respectively. Where Italy became the second highest CO2 emitter.
The graph showed the gradual decline in the emissions of CO2 in UK and Sweden, while a gradual incline in Italy and Portugal. While the graph also shows the steady upward line of Italy and Portugal.
United Kingdom started at approximately 11 tonnes has now decreased to 9.5 tonnes, whereas Sweden started with around 9.5 tonnes decreased upto 5.5 tonnes.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the graph by reporting initial and final carbon dioxide emissions for the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy, and Portugal between 1967 and 2007. You successfully identified key trends, such as the downward trajectory of the UK and Sweden alongside the upward trends in Italy and Portugal, and provided appropriate comparative data for the beginning and end of the period. However, some of the figures lack complete clarity, and the progression could be structured more cohesively to ensure all major shifts are fully highlighted. Overall, all parts of the prompt are addressed adequately, fulfilling the requirements for this band level.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response maintains a generally coherent overall arrangement, grouping information into several distinct paragraphs that attempt to address different countries and periods. However, the progression between sentences and paragraphs is occasionally disjointed and mechanical. For instance, transitional phrases are sometimes missing or repetitive, as seen in the repeated use of 'The graph' at the start of multiple paragraphs. Referencing could also be smoother to help the reader track comparisons between the four nations more easily. Paragraphing is present, but the structural flow needs refinement to achieve a higher band score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing you to convey basic trends and numerical values using terms like 'emissions', 'metric tonnes', 'gradual decline', and 'incline'. However, there are noticeable limitations in lexical range and some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'upward raising lines' and 'decreased upto'. You make a few attempts at less common vocabulary, but these are sometimes imprecise. Overall, the vocabulary is minimally adequate to communicate the main ideas without causing significant difficulty for the reader.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, though attempts at complex structures frequently contain errors or awkward phrasing, such as 'The graph is a line graph illustrates...' and 'United Kingdom started at approximately 11 tonnes has now decreased...'. There are several grammatical inaccuracies, including missing articles ('in the UK', 'the United Kingdom') and verb tense inconsistencies. While these errors do not severely impede overall communication, they occur frequently enough to restrict the score to this band level. Better control over relative clauses and tense agreement will greatly improve accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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