Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-18
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 given graph illustrates the average emission of carbon dioxide per person in metric tones in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal between 1967 and 2007.
Overall, from four distinct countries United Kingdom and sweden were on the top but these countries showed decrease, where United kingdom has slighty decrease and Sweden has massive. On the other hand both Italy and Portugal showed a massive increase in later years.
From 1967 to 1977, carbon emission rate for the United Kingdom remained at same rate between 10 to 12 but started decreaing in later years and reached between 8 to 10 in 2007. Sweden showed a massive increase in start and emission rate hikied between 10 to 12 in year 1977 then decreased massively after years and reached between 4 to 6. Carbon emission rate for the Italy was between 4 to 6 but it started increasing and reached between 6 to 10. Portugal had lowest carbon emisson between 0 to 2 in the start but later it started increasing and in year 2007 this rate reached the same rate as Sweden which is in between 4 to 6.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student successfully covers all four countries and provides a clear overview identifying the main trends, noting that the UK and Sweden started higher and decreased, while Italy and Portugal increased. Key features are reported, such as the UK's steady figures and Sweden's peak in 1977 followed by a sharp decline, as well as Portugal catching up to Sweden by 2007. However, the data points are occasionally expressed as broad ranges rather than precise figures (e.g., 'between 10 to 12'), and some descriptions lack finer detail. Despite these minor limitations, the main trends and comparisons are adequately highlighted, meeting the criteria for a Band 6.5 or solid 6.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and a body paragraph detailing the trends. Cohesive devices are used to link ideas, such as 'Overall', 'On the other hand', and 'From 1967 to 1977'. However, the progression becomes slightly repetitive and mechanical in the body paragraph, and referencing is occasionally unclear or clumsy, such as 'after years' and 'for the Italy'. Paragraphing is present but could be better structured to separate the different groups of countries distinctly. Overall arrangement is coherent, placing this comfortably at Band 6.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms like 'illustrates', 'emission', 'decrease', and 'massive increase'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'tones' instead of 'tonnes', 'sweden' with a lowercase letter, 'decreaing', 'hikied', 'emisson', and awkward phrasing like 'carbon emission rate for the United Kingdom remained at same rate'. Attempts to use less common vocabulary result in inaccuracies. The lexical range is sufficient to convey the message, but errors prevent it from reaching a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'Although the graph illustrates...' and compound sentences joined by coordinating conjunctions. There are, however, frequent grammatical errors and awkward structures, including missing articles ('for the Italy', 'in start'), incorrect prepositions ('at same rate'), and tense inconsistencies ('started decreaing', 'hikied'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but sentence structures can be clumsy. While these errors do not impede overall communication, their frequency keeps the score at Band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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