Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 gives information about the proportion of carbon dioxide emitted in nature per person in 5 countries, the UK, Sweden, Italy, Portugal over a period of four decades from 1967 to 2007.

Overall, the UK contributed for the highest proportion of carbon emissions in the beginning but it moderately decreased. The percentage of Sweden also declined before it observed dramatic rise. On the other hand, the proportion for Italy and Portugal grew through out the period.

Firstly, the UK accounted for the highest proportion in 1967, it was about 11 metric tonnes while than it moderately decreased and it fell down at almost 8.7 metric tonnes. While, between 1967 and 1977 the Sweden's carbon emissions incresed from almost 8.2 metric tonnes to around 10.1 metric tonnes. Than it fell down dramatically and came down at about 5.7 metric tonnes in 2007.

Secondly, the carbon emissions for Italy considerably increased through out the period. In 1967, this was approximately 4.1 metric tonnes and reached at around 7.9 metric tonnes. On the other hand, Portugal shared about 1.7 metic tonnes in 1967 while it considerably rose and reached at almost 5.7 metric tonnes in 2007.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall patterns: UK emissions decline, Sweden rises and then falls, and Italy and Portugal increase. You also include relevant start and end figures, such as the UK falling from about 11 to 8.7 tonnes and Portugal rising to around 5.7. However, some details are inaccurate: Sweden begins at about 8.6, not 8.2, and its 2007 figure is about 5.4, rather than 5.7. The overview also says Sweden’s emissions “declined before it observed dramatic rise,” reversing the actual sequence: they first rose, then fell. Italy’s levelling off at about 7.6 in the final decade is omitted. The response covers the task, but these inaccuracies and uneven detail limit its precision.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure, with an introduction, an overview and two detail paragraphs. The grouping of the UK and Sweden before Italy and Portugal gives the report a sensible progression, and phrases such as “On the other hand” help signal contrasts. This is a coherent arrangement, though some linking is mechanical or unclear. For example, “Firstly” and “Secondly” do little to show how the data are grouped, while “While” at the start of a sentence leaves the relationship with the previous point incomplete. The overview’s description of Sweden also conflicts with the later account, interrupting the logical progression. Make the overview consistent with the details and use more precise links between comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “accounted for,” “declined,” “increased” and “metric tonnes,” so the main trends are generally understandable. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or imprecise: “proportion” and “percentage” do not describe the chart’s measurements, which are emissions per person in tonnes, and “emitted in nature” is not a natural description. There are also spelling errors such as “incresed” and “metic,” alongside repeated use of “considerably” and “reached.” Aim for precise trend language and check spelling; alternatives such as “per-capita emissions,” “rose” and “levelled off” would make the report more natural and exact.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, and the reader can usually follow the comparisons. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly in sentence boundaries and clause construction. For example, “Firstly, the UK accounted for the highest proportion in 1967, it was about 11 metric tonnes” joins two independent clauses with only a comma. In “while than it moderately decreased,” the clause is not formed correctly, and “it fell down at almost 8.7” uses an unclear grammatical pattern for describing a final value. There are also inconsistent sentence openings and punctuation around “While.” Use full stops or conjunctions to separate complete clauses, and practise accurate past-tense comparison structures. These issues do not generally prevent understanding, but they reduce control.

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