Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-07

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 graph illustrates the average amount of carbon dioxide which was emitted from people of four different countries between 1967 and 2007.

Overall, the release amount of carbon dioxide gradually increased in Italy and Portugal over the year, while the number slowly decreased in United Kingdom.

In 1967, United kingdom had the highest emission rate among all four countries which was almost 11 metric tonnes. Then over the period this rate went down and finally reach nearly 9 metric tonnes in 2007. The figure of Sweden risen up in first ten years and then face a sharp decline from 1977 to 2007,following by the number from 10 metric tonnes to 6 metric tonnes approximately.

In contrast, per person emission rate of carbon dioxide gradually went up in Italy and Portugal. In Italy the amount steadily increased to 8 metric tonnes at 1997 and then remain constant in last ten years. In Portugal in first 30 years emission rate increased by almost 5 metric tonnes and then remain stable in next ten years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall pattern: emissions fell in the UK, while Italy and Portugal rose, and you include relevant comparisons across the period. The UK’s starting and ending figures are reported accurately as almost 11 and nearly 9 tonnes. However, the overview omits Sweden’s distinctive rise to a peak in 1977 followed by a marked decline, and the account of Portugal’s final decade is not quite accurate: its emissions continued to rise from about 5.2 to 5.4 tonnes rather than remaining stable. Italy’s 1997 figure is also closer to 7.6 than 8 tonnes. To strengthen the response, include all four countries in the overview and report the key turning points and end values more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs grouping the countries’ trends. This makes the main comparisons easy to follow, and phrases such as “Overall” and “In contrast” help signal the structure. Some connections are less clear or mechanical, however. The Sweden sentence combines its rise and decline in a long sequence, and “following by the number” does not clearly show which figure is being described. The final paragraph also groups Italy and Portugal without clearly separating their different end-period patterns. Use more precise linking and reference, and organise each country’s trend in a clear chronological sequence to improve progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “emission rate,” “gradually increased,” “sharp decline,” and “remain constant,” so the trends are generally understandable. There are, however, several imprecise or unnatural choices: “release amount” is not a natural way to describe emissions, and “the number” is vague when referring to a measurement in tonnes. “The figure of Sweden” is also an awkward collocation. Aim for consistent, precise terms such as “emissions per person,” “level,” and “amount,” and avoid switching between “release amount,” “number,” and “rate” for the same data. This would make the description more fluent and appropriately academic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use both simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses beginning “while” and “which,” and the overall meaning remains clear. Some grammatical errors persist, particularly with verb forms and tense consistency: “the figure of Sweden risen up” should be “Sweden’s figure rose,” while “then remain constant” should be “then remained constant.” In “finally reach nearly 9,” the verb should be “reached.” Articles and prepositions also need attention in phrases such as “in United Kingdom” and “at 1997”; use “in the United Kingdom” and “in 1997.” Review punctuation and spacing after commas as well. More accurate control of these patterns would make the varied sentence structures more effective.

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