Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-08

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 4.5)

So it all started in 1967 from portugal average 1 emission per person while in italy average 4 persons while in sweden about twice the number of italy 8 people per emission while the most were in united kingdom reported over 11 person per emissions as time went on in 1977 portugal number kept rising upto 2 while italy number went up by 2 sweden on the other hand went upto 10 people while united kingdom number kept about the same. Then in 1987 portugal number went upto 3 people, in italy the number was 5, in sweden the number dropped upto 7 people and also same in united kingdom dropped to 10 people while in 1977 upto 2007 portugal number kept the same around 5 people, italy around 7 people sweden dropped upto 5 and uk dropped ipto 9 people per emission

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify several relevant trends: the UK remains the highest-emitting country while declining, Sweden rises before falling, and Italy and Portugal generally increase. Some approximate figures are also recognisable. However, the response has no clear overview and does not accurately report the later period: Portugal does not stay at around five from 1987 to 2007, but rises from about 3.3 to 5.4; Italy reaches about 7.6, rather than remaining around seven. The phrase “in 1977 upto 2007” also makes the period being described unclear. The response is only 143 words, below the required 150. Add a concise overview, check the key values and comparisons, and meet the minimum length.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response follows a broadly chronological order, moving from 1967 through later years, and uses basic linking phrases such as “as time went on,” “on the other hand,” and “Then.” These help the reader recognise some transitions. However, the information is presented as one long, largely unpunctuated sequence, with no paragraphing or clear overview to guide the reader. The repeated pattern “in [year] … number” also makes the account feel list-like, and the final phrase “in 1977 upto 2007” disrupts the timeline. Organise the report into an introduction, an overview, and one or two detail paragraphs; use full stops and clearer time references to make the progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use a small set of relevant terms, including “average,” “dropped,” “rising,” and “kept about the same,” so the general direction of some trends can be understood. However, vocabulary is basic and repetitive, especially the repeated use of “number” and “people.” Several expressions are inaccurate for this graph: emissions are measured in metric tonnes per person, not “people per emission,” and “the most were in united kingdom” is not a natural way to describe the highest figure. Spelling and form errors such as “ipto” and inconsistent capitalisation of country names also reduce control. Build a more precise range for describing data, such as “emissions per capita,” “stood at,” “increased,” and “declined,” and use these terms consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts to connect several ideas using time clauses and contrast, for example, “as time went on” and “Sweden on the other hand went upto 10.” However, most of the account consists of long run-on sentences, with little punctuation to separate clauses. Sentence patterns are repetitive, and grammatical relationships are often unclear in phrases such as “in italy average 4 persons while in sweden about twice the number of italy 8 people.” There are also problems with articles, plurals, and prepositions, as in “in united kingdom” and “per emissions.” Use shorter, complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs, and check articles and singular/plural forms. This would make the comparisons easier to understand.

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

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