Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-06
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 5.0)
The diagram illustrates the average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per person in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal between 1967 and 2007.
Sweden started with 8.5 metric tones in year 1967 and it peaked the highest which is of 10 in year 1977. But it started to decline sharply after year 1977. We can see a dip from 10 metric tones to direct half of that which is 5 metric tones from year 1977 to 2007. In the tenure of 30 years the emission of CO2 emission per person in Sweeden drops by 50%.
In contrast with the United Kingdom, average CO2 emission per person declined sharply. In the year 1967, it was roughly about 11 metric tones, remained constant till 1977. But after year 1977 we can see the emission started declining and in the year 2007 the CO2 emission dropped to 8.5 metric tones per person.
Italy started from 4 metric tones in 1967 and remained above that till 30 years. It ended with 7.5 metric tones per person in 2007. On the other hand we have Portugal which started from 1 metric tone per person which is very good start comparing to other countries but it remained above as well. And, in the year the emission per person was around 5 metric tones.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5
The response attempts to cover the main features of the line graph showing carbon dioxide emissions, but the information reported contains noticeable inaccuracies and lacks a clear overview. For instance, the student states that Sweden peaked at 10 in 1977 and then dropped to 5 in 2007, which is a fairly close reading of the data, but claims that the UK emission in 1967 was 'roughly about 11' and remained constant till 1977, whereas the graph shows a slight decline from 10.8 to 10.7. Furthermore, the final paragraph misreads Portugal's starting point and omits key comparative details. The lack of a clear summary or overview statement prevents the response from moving into higher bands, as only partial trends are presented without synthesizing the overall picture.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
There is a basic attempt to organise the response into paragraphs, with each body paragraph focusing on different countries. However, the overall progression is somewhat disjointed due to abrupt transitions and repetitive sentence openers such as 'Sweden started with...', 'In contrast with the United Kingdom...', and 'Italy started from...'. Cohesive devices are minimal and sometimes mechanical, as seen in the phrasing 'On the other hand we have Portugal'. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the lack of sophisticated signposting means that information is simply listed country by country rather than being logically grouped or compared effectively across the whole period.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe general upward and downward trends using terms like 'decline sharply', 'peaked', and 'constant'. However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as 'metric tones' instead of 'metric tonnes', 'direct half of that', and 'very good start comparing to other countries'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with limited success, and spelling errors do occasionally occur. To improve, the student needs to use precise collocations and more varied lexical items related to data reporting without making word-formation errors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The text relies on a limited range of sentence structures, primarily simple and basic complex forms joined by coordinating conjunctions. Attempts at more complex structures frequently result in grammatical errors, such as awkward relative clauses or missing prepositions ('it peaked the highest which is of 10', 'in the year the emission per person was around 5'). There are frequent errors in verb tense consistency, subject-verb agreement, and article usage throughout the response. Although these errors do not completely obscure the intended meaning, they cause difficulty for the reader and demonstrate a lack of firm control over complex grammar.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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