Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-02
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 represents average greenhouse gas emissions per individual in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal from 1967 to 2007.
Overall, it is crystal clear that most of the emissions of carbon dioxide by person were seen in the United Kingdom as compared to other countries,it was highest throughout the given years.
At a fleeting glance, the carbon dioxide emissions ranged from 8 metric tonnes to 11 metric tonnes in the United Kingdom and Sweden respectively. After a decade, the greenhouse gas emissions remained the same in the United Kingdom and declined in the upcoming years, whereas in Sweden, it inclined by 2 metric tonnes and before reaching 7 metric tonnes in 1987. Then, it was steadily declining year by year.
In 1967, the carbon dioxide emissions per person were 1 metric tonne and 4 metric tonnes in Portugal and Italy. After this year , both countries increased to reach 3 metric tonnes and 7 metric tonnes in 1987. After 10 years, Portugal and Italy remained the same till 2007.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response presents an overview with some main trends, but the selection of data is incomplete and contains several inaccuracies when compared to the visual data. For instance, the student states that carbon dioxide emissions ranged from 8 metric tonnes to 11 metric tonnes in the United Kingdom and Sweden respectively, which misrepresents the starting points. Furthermore, the description of Portugal and Italy in the final paragraph contains inaccurate figures and over-generalised claims, such as stating that both countries remained the same after 10 years until 2007, when Italy actually plateaued while Portugal continued to rise gradually. Because some data points are misreported and the overview lacks precision regarding key trends, the response only partially addresses the task requirements.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The text shows some overall organisation with an introductory paragraph, an overview, and body paragraphs, but there is no clear progression throughout. The transitions between ideas can feel abrupt, and cohesive devices are sometimes handled mechanically or used inaccurately, such as the awkward phrase 'At a fleeting glance' or the repetitive use of time markers like 'After this year' and 'After 10 years'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the grouping of data lacks a fully logical structure, making the relationships between countries and time periods occasionally difficult to follow.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, but the range is limited and features noticeable errors in word choice and collocation. Phrases such as 'greenhouse gas emissions per individual' (when the graph specifies CO2 emissions) and 'inclined by 2 metric tonnes' demonstrate awkward lexical choices. There are also occasional phrasing issues like 'most of the emissions of carbon dioxide by person were seen in'. While the meaning is generally communicated, these inaccuracies prevent the response from achieving a higher level of lexical precision and natural flow.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response displays a limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple and moderately complex forms. When the student attempts more complex constructions, errors frequently occur, such as awkward punctuation, run-on clauses (e.g., 'other countries,it was highest'), and preposition errors. There are frequent grammatical slips in verb tenses and agreement that occasionally cause some difficulty for the reader, such as mixing past trends with present-tense descriptions or inaccurate clause linking. Punctuation around commas and conjunctions also shows recurring lapses.
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