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 line graph illustrates the amount of carbon dioxide being emitted per individual over the period of 40 years starting from 1967 in four different countries including UK, Sweden, Italy and Portugal.
Overall, the highest emitter of carbondioxide is United Kingdom with 10.5 metric tonnes followed by a sharp decline through the course of time and Portugal ranked the lowest in 1967 with just 1.5 metric tonne but displayed a sharp inclination in 40 years.
All the four countries emitted more CO2 as they were developing. Sweden sarted at 8.5 metric tonnes of emmission and it grew till 1977 then dropped efficiently in 1987 and 2007 to 5.8 metric tonnes.
On the other hand Italy started at 4.2 metric tonnes and kept boosting overtime with a rise in the years 1977 and 1997 of 6.1 and 7.9 metric tonnes respectively, before eventually becoming stable at the end.
In conclusion the CO2 emission of UK and Sweden fell down while Portugal kep's emission kept on rising. However Italy's emission became stable towards the end.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student covers all four countries and provides an overview of the general trends in the introduction and conclusion, fulfilling the core requirements of Task 1. Key features are reported, such as the UK being the highest emitter throughout and Portugal starting at the lowest level before increasing. However, some data points are inaccurate or poorly integrated; for example, the overview states the UK's initial emission is '10.5 metric tonnes' when the graph shows approximately 10.8, and the description of Sweden's fluctuation contains imprecise figures ('dropped efficiently'). While comparisons are attempted, the overall progression lacks a fully cohesive data-driven selection. This performance aligns with Band 6.0 descriptors.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is organised into clear paragraphs, including an introduction, body paragraphs dedicated to specific groupings of countries, and a concluding summary. Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'Overall', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion', ensuring a coherent overall arrangement. However, referencing and progression are occasionally mechanical or slightly faulty, as seen in the slightly disjointed transition between sentences in the body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, but the logical flow between ideas could be smoother. This warrants a Band 6.5 score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, attempting less common items such as 'inclination', 'efficiently', and 'stable'. However, there are notable lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as using 'inclination' instead of 'increase' or 'upward trend', and 'dropped efficiently' where 'efficiently' is the wrong collocation. Spelling is generally acceptable, but minor lexical slips and imprecise word choices restrict the score. This performance fits comfortably within the Band 6.0 category.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
A mix of simple and complex sentence forms is attempted, such as in the opening sentence and the comparative structures. There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, including 'carbondioxide' (spacing/compounding), 'sarted' (spelling), 'emmission', and the faulty clause 'Portugal kep's emission kept on rising'. Despite these errors, meaning is generally clear and communication is not severely impeded. Control over punctuation and complex grammar is inconsistent, placing the response at a Band 6.0 level.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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