Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-12

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 line graph displays the average emission of carbon dioxide by a person in four countries from 1967 to 2007.

Overall, the carbon emission per person from Italy and Portugal incerased, while the figures for United Kingdom and Sweden decreased over the period.

In 1967, the CO2 emission stood at around just over 1 mertic tonne, compared with just over 4 metric tonnes for Italy. the figures for both countries rose gradually and by the end of the period, with just under 6% and 8% respectively. By 2007, Italian person was the second highest carbon emitter among others.

However, the highest avg carbon emission was by a Britisher, with around 11 mertic tonnes, it experienced a steady declined over the period. By 2007, the figure dropped to just over 8%, still the highest among the others.

The person from Sweden emitted approximately 8.5 tonnes of carbon emission in the begining of the period. Initially, it rose to just over 10 tonnes in 1977 and then it experienced a dramatic decline to around 8.5 tonnes in the next 10 years. After that, it dropped further to just below 6 tonnes by the end of the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the overall contrast accurately: emissions rose in Italy and Portugal, while they fell in the UK and Sweden. The UK’s position as the highest emitter at both ends of the period is also reported, and you include several relevant figures. However, some key details are incomplete or inaccurate. Portugal’s rise to about 5.4 tonnes and its convergence with Sweden by 2007 are not clearly described, while the claim that Sweden fell to around 8.5 tonnes in 1987 is incorrect; it was about 7 tonnes. The UK’s 2007 figure was about 8.7 tonnes, not just over 8, and the Italian figure was about 7.6, rather than 8. A more precise overview and accurate comparisons would strengthen the report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs describing the rising and falling trends. This makes the main direction of change easy to follow, and transitions such as “Overall,” “However,” and “After that” help signal relationships. Some progression is less effective because the first data paragraph groups Portugal and Italy but then shifts to Italy without clearly distinguishing their end values. The paragraph beginning “However” also repeats the UK’s highest position rather than linking the UK and Sweden’s downward trends more efficiently. Use clearer comparisons between countries at shared dates, and ensure each paragraph develops one coherent comparison rather than moving between figures abruptly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “emission,” “stood at,” “rose gradually,” “steady decline,” and “dramatic decline,” so the report is generally understandable. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward: “carbon emission per person,” “a Britisher,” and “Italian person” are less natural than standard chart-reporting expressions. “Metric tonnes” is also incorrectly replaced by “%” for the UK and Italy, which changes the meaning of the data. Spelling slips such as “incerased,” “mertic,” and “begining” reduce accuracy. Aim for consistent, precise terms such as “per-capita emissions” and “tonnes,” and check spelling and collocations carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including clauses with “while,” “compared with,” and “then,” and most of the message remains understandable. Some grammatical errors nevertheless affect accuracy and sentence control. For example, “the figures for both countries rose gradually and by the end of the period, with…” is an incomplete construction because the main clause does not clearly state what the figures reached. In “the highest avg carbon emission was by a Britisher, with around 11… it experienced,” a comma joins two independent clauses; use a full stop or a conjunction. There are also inconsistent article and sentence-start choices, as in “the figures” after a full stop. Build complete clauses and punctuate longer sentences more carefully.

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