Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-29

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 6.0)

The line chart illustrates the average carbon dioxide emissions per person in four countries; United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal, over the time period of forty years. Overall it shows the that there is not a one specific trend. Two of the lines went downwards and the other two went upwards.

The United Kingdom had the most emissions per person in 1967 and still maintained its highest record till 2007 even though its line was in downtrend. For more than a decade from 1967, Sweden's line rose but suddenly it took a turn and started a downtrend till 2007, it finished below than the number it started from. Italy's and Portugal's data shows that the average number of carbon dioxide emissions rose significantly from 1967 to 2007, lines of both countries ended on a much higher number than they were on in 1967.

The United Kingdom and Sweden finished below from the number they started from. Another point to be noted is that the lines of Sweden and Portugal finished almost at the same point.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response covers all four countries and spans the entire time period of 1967 to 2007. The overview is somewhat basic, noting generally that two lines went downwards and two upwards, but it misses specific overall comparative highlights. While the student identifies that the UK started and ended the highest and notes general trends, some figures are entirely omitted, and details lack precision. For instance, stating that the UK 'maintained its highest record till 2007 even though its line was in downtrend' is accurate, but the lack of specific data points throughout the body limits the depth of task fulfilment. It meets the requirements for Band 6 by addressing all parts, though some features are under-developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response is arranged coherently with a clear overall structure, divided into an introduction, body paragraphs, and a brief concluding sentence. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction from the main body and final observations. However, cohesion at the sentence level is occasionally mechanical or faulty, seen in phrases like 'Overall it shows the that there is not a one specific trend' and some repetitive referencing ('Sweden's line', 'Italy's and Portugal's data'). Cohesive devices are basic rather than flexible. Progression is generally logical, but the abrupt transitions between sentences prevent the text from reaching a higher band level.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with appropriate topic-specific terms such as 'carbon dioxide emissions', 'per person', 'downtrend', and 'significantly'. The student attempts some less common vocabulary like 'maintained its highest record', but there are noticeable inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as 'not a one specific trend' and 'finished below than the number'. Spelling is generally accurate, but lexical control lacks the flexibility and precision required for Band 7. The vocabulary range is minimally sufficient to convey the main features of the chart.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as subordinate clauses ('even though its line was in downtrend') and coordinate clauses. However, there are several grammatical errors and awkward structures throughout the text, including the article error in 'shows the that there', redundant phrasing in 'not a one specific trend', and comparative errors like 'finished below than the number'. Despite these errors, they rarely impede overall communication. Punctuation is generally acceptable, supporting a Band 6 score where a mix of structures is demonstrated alongside frequent minor errors.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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