Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-09

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 graph compares average emissions of carbon dioxide per individual in four countries namely United kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal from 1967 to 2007.

Overall, Italy and Portugal experienced significant increase over the period while United kingdom showed dramatic declined in emissions. Sweden experienced fluctuations.

In 1967, Portugal reported just below 2 metric tones then rose untill 1987 with almost 4 metric tonnes with a small steep increased in its value to just below 6 metric tonnes and keep it maintained through final year. Similarly, emissions recorded in italy bagan from just above 4 metric tonnes, rose upto just over 6 in 1977 and then with gradual increase it reached just under 8 metric tonnes and remained unchanged through out .

On the other hand, Sweden follow declined behaviour it started from just over 8 rose to its peak value of just over 10 in 1977 and decreased dramatically to just above 6 in 1987 and gave the same value as of Portugal in final year. Moreover, Sweden began from just over 10 and keeping the same untill 1977 and gradually decrease to just above 8 metric tonnes in 2007.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the four countries and the overall contrast between rising emissions in Italy and Portugal and falling emissions in the UK, which gives the response a relevant overview. However, the overview is incomplete: Sweden’s rise to a peak in 1977 followed by a marked decline is not clearly summarised. There is also a major factual problem in the final paragraph: the sentence beginning “Moreover, Sweden began from just over 10” actually describes the UK, whose emissions fell from about 10.8 to 8.7 tonnes. Some figures are imprecise, such as Portugal reaching “almost 4” in 1987 rather than about 3.3. Select the main trends accurately and organise the details so each country’s data is clearly identified.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing the rising and falling series. Linking phrases such as “Overall,” “Similarly,” and “On the other hand” help signal relationships between points. However, progression is weakened by the final sentence, which repeats a UK trend but labels it as Sweden, making the reference unclear and disrupting the comparison. The long detail paragraphs also combine several years and trends without consistently separating the countries. Use one focused paragraph for the two rising series and another for the declining series, and ensure each sentence names its subject when moving between lines. This would make the organisation more coherent and cohesion less dependent on basic connectors.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “emissions,” “metric tonnes,” “peak value,” “gradual increase,” and “remained unchanged,” so the reader can generally understand the trends being described. The range is nevertheless limited, and several inaccurate forms or collocations make the account less natural: “dramatic declined,” “small steep increased,” and “follow declined behaviour.” Spelling errors such as “untill,” “began” written as “bagan,” and “through out” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise, conventional trend language rather than combining adjectives and nouns awkwardly. For example, describe a line as “rose sharply” or “declined steadily,” and use “emissions per person” consistently. These changes would improve clarity and control without requiring more elaborate vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

There are attempts to use complex sentences and time clauses, for example, “then rose until 1987” and “while United Kingdom showed…,” but control is inconsistent. Errors occur in verb forms and sentence construction: “Italy and Portugal experienced significant increase” needs a plural noun, “Sweden follow declined behaviour” has an incorrect verb form, and “and keep it maintained” does not form a correct continuation. Articles and punctuation are also unreliable, as in “the United kingdom” and the unfinished spacing before the final full stop. These problems sometimes make it difficult to tell which country a sentence describes. Build shorter, complete sentences first, checking subject–verb agreement and tense, then add subordinate clauses where they remain accurate.

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