Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-05
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 diagram shows the emission of carbon dioxide in 4 different countries, United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal from 1967 to 2007.
Overall, Sweden and Uk were at the top in the emission of CO2 in 1967. They were emitting co2 between 9 to 11 metric tonnes per year while the other two countries, Italy and Portugal were at the bottom in emitting co2.
However, UK and Sweden took larg part in the emission of co2 in early period from 1967 to 1977 but get control on its emission. UK down its emission from 11 metric tonnes to 8 metric tonnes and Sweden also move down in the emission control from 11 to 5 metric tonnes.In contrast to this, In Portugal and Italy CO2 emissions gradually increas from 1967 to 2007. In 1967 portugal was emitting 1 metric tonnes co2 but in 2007 it is stading at 5 metric tonnes and same it is with Italy.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response covers the main trends in the chart, noting the general patterns for the four countries between 1967 and 2007, such as the decreases in the UK and Sweden alongside the increases in Italy and Portugal. However, some aspects of the task are only partially addressed, and certain ideas are under-developed or imprecise. For instance, the statement that Sweden and the UK were emitting CO2 between 9 and 11 metric tonnes in 1967 overlooks the actual chart figures, where the UK started at 10.8 and Sweden at 8.6. Furthermore, the selection of data lacks full extension, and the comparison between countries is somewhat superficial. While the overview attempts to summarise the main features, it lacks precision regarding the ending values for several countries.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement, with a clear introduction and an attempt to divide information logically into body sections comparing the differing trends. Information and ideas are generally presented in a connected way, using basic cohesive devices such as 'However', 'In contrast to this', and 'In 1967'. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical. For example, the pronoun referencing in phrases like 'get control on its emission' and 'same it is with Italy' is imprecise and creates confusion regarding whether singular or plural entities are being discussed. Paragraphing is present, but the overall progression could be smoother and more logically structured to guide the reader effortlessly through the data.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, providing enough terms to discuss emissions, countries, and numerical changes. However, the range is limited, and there are noticeable lexical errors in word choice, word form, and spelling that impede communication at times. Examples include 'larg part' instead of large part, 'get control on its emission' instead of brought emissions under control, 'down its emission' instead of reduced its emissions, 'move down' instead of declined, 'increas' instead of increased, 'portugal' with a lowercase letter, and 'stading' instead of standing. These frequent lexical inaccuracies restrict the response to a lower band, as more precise and flexible vocabulary is needed to describe graphical trends accurately.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response employs a limited range of sentence structures, consisting mostly of simple sentences and basic compound constructions. Attempts at complex sentences are frequently faulty, leading to noticeable structural errors. Examples of grammatical and punctuation issues include subject-verb agreement errors ('Sweden and Uk were', 'UK down its emission'), missing articles ('in early period'), incorrect prepositions ('in the emission control'), and punctuation errors such as missing spaces after full stops (e.g., 'metric tonnes.In contrast'). These frequent errors in grammar and punctuation can cause some difficulty for the reader and reflect a limited control over complex syntactic forms.
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