Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-17
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 4.0)
The graph shows that average carbon dioxide emissions per person itly Sweden uk and Portugal between 1967 and 2007.
in Portugal emissions metric tonnes per person in1967 is 1 one tonnes in 1977 they reached to 2 in 1987 increase to 3 tonnes and 1997 reached to 4 in 2007 increase to 5 in Portugal carbon dioxide emissions is going increased
in itly emissions metric tonnes in 1967 is 4 and 1977 is increase to 6 in 1987 they reached to 7 and in 1997 and 2007 is also in 7.5 .
in Sweden emissions metric tonnes is strat in 1967 to 9 1977 increase to 10 in 1987 decrease to 7 in 1997 decrease to 6 and in the end 2007 decrease to 5
in uk emissions metric tonnes start to in 1967 11 in 1977 is also 11 and they decrease in 1987 10 and 1997 and 2007 decrease to 9.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.0 |
| Overall | 4.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The student attempts to address the task by reporting data for all four countries, but the response lacks an overview entirely, which prevents it from achieving a higher band. Furthermore, there are several inaccuracies in the data reported; for example, the UK starting point in 1967 is stated as 11 (actual: 10.8) and the UK figures for 1997 and 2007 are stated as 9 (actual: 9.5 and 8.7 respectively). Some figures for Italy are also slightly misread. While the main trends are touched upon, the lack of an overall summary and the inaccurate data reporting place this response firmly at Band 4.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0
The response is structured into short paragraphs corresponding to each country, which provides a basic visual separation of ideas. However, there is no overall logical progression or overview, and cohesive devices are almost entirely absent. Sentences are disjointed and rely on repetitive, mechanical time markers (e.g., in 1967, in 1977, in 1987) rather than smooth transitions. Referencing is basic and repetitive, and paragraphing is underdeveloped due to the lack of an introductory overview and concluding summary. This reflects the descriptors for Band 4.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 4.0
The vocabulary used is very basic, repetitive, and restricted to simple terms related to numbers and directions (e.g., 'increase', 'decrease', 'reached to'). There are numerous spelling errors throughout the text, including 'itly' for Italy, 'strat' for start, and grammatical misuse of lexical forms like 'going increased'. Less common vocabulary is absent, and the lexical range is severely limited, restricting communication and causing strain for the reader. This corresponds to a Band 4.0 level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0
The grammatical range is extremely limited, consisting almost entirely of simple, repetitive clauses strung together without proper punctuation. There are frequent and systematic errors in tense, subject-verb agreement, and prepositional use, such as 'emissions metric tonnes in 1967 is 4' and 'in uk emissions metric tonnes start to in 1967 11'. Complex sentence structures are not attempted successfully, and frequent errors distort meaning and make the text difficult to follow. This aligns with the Band 4.0 descriptors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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