Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-14
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 7.5)
The line graph compares the average amount of carbon dioxide (co2) emissions produced per person in the united kingdom, Sweden, Italy, and Portugal over a 40 year period from 1967 to 2007.
Overall, the UK and Sweden experienced a downward tread in per capital emissions during this timeframe. Conversely, Italy and Portugal saw steady increases, narrowing the gap between the highest and lowest emitting nations by the end of the period.
In 1967, the United kingdom was by far the largest emitter, starting at nearly 11 metric tonners per person. Although it dropped slightly over the next four decades, it remained the highest among the four countries, ending at approximately 9 metric tonnes in 2007. Sweden initially experienced a sharp rise, peaking at just over 10 metric tonnes in 1977, but then saw a significant steady decline to around 5.5 metric tonnes by 2007.
In contrast, emissions in Italy and Portugal grew continuously. Italy's emissions started at just above 4 metric tonnes in 1967 and climbed steadily, surpassing Sweden around 1987 to reach a peak of nearly 8 metric tonnes in 1997 before leveling off. Portugal recorded the lowest initial figures at roughly 1 metric tonne per person but experienced the most consistent growth, matching Sweden's level of around 5.5 metric tonnes by the year 2007.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The student covers all parts of the task well, providing a clear and comprehensive overview of the main trends shown in the graph. The response successfully highlights key features, such as the overall downward trend in the UK and Sweden contrasted with the upward trajectory in Italy and Portugal. Relevant comparisons are made throughout, noting how the gap between nations narrowed by 2007. Data is accurately reported, citing specific figures like the UK starting at nearly 11 metric tonnes and Sweden peaking at just over 10 metric tonnes. The information is well-selected, effectively fulfilling the requirements of Academic Task 1 without any major omissions.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0
Ideas are logically sequenced, beginning with a clear introduction and overall summary, followed by well-structured body paragraphs that detail specific country trends. The progression of information is clear throughout the text. Cohesive devices are managed well, using phrases like 'Conversely', 'In 1967', 'Although', and 'In contrast' to guide the reader smoothly between contrasting points and time periods. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the visual data. Referencing is clear and unambiguous.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The student demonstrates a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suited to a task reporting statistical data, using terms such as 'downward trend', 'steady increases', 'peaking', and 'leveling off'. There are a few minor lexical inaccuracies, notably 'downward tread' instead of 'downward trend' in the second paragraph, and 'metric tonners' instead of 'metric tonnes' in the third paragraph. However, these infrequent errors do not impede communication, and the vocabulary overall effectively conveys the necessary comparisons and changes over time.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
The response exhibits a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as 'Although it dropped slightly over the next four decades, it remained the highest...' and 'Italy's emissions started at just above 4 metric tonnes in 1967 and climbed steadily, surpassing Sweden around 1987...'. The majority of sentences are error-free, with good control over grammar and punctuation. Minor slips include capitalization oversights such as 'united kingdom' and 'Sweden' in the opening sentence, but these are isolated mechanical issues rather than systemic grammatical failures.
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