Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-14

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 5.0)

The line graph illustrates the avenrage carbon dioxide emissions per person in four distinct countries namely United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy, and Portugal in 1967 to 2007.

Overall, it can be seen that United Kingdom recorded the highest average of carbon dioxide whereas Portugal experience the less average. However, Sweden and Portugal increased consistently throughout the period while United Kingdom and Sweden decreased steadily.

In 1967, United Kingdom accumulated to just over 10 tonnes and declined steadily marginally 8 metric tonnes. While, Sweden accounted for slightly over 8 tonnes in 1967, above 10 toones in 1977, just over 6 toones in 1987, and declined steadily about 4 tonnes.

On the other hand, Italy encountered around 4 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 1967, momre than 6 toones in 1977, increased steadily at considerably 7 tonnes in 1997 and 2007. Whereas, Portugal recorded an rose steadily in 1967 to 2007 at about 1 tonnes and well over 9 tonnes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the four countries and give a broad overview, including the UK’s high starting position and Portugal’s low one. However, the overview contains a key contradiction: it says both Sweden and Portugal increased consistently and that Sweden decreased steadily. Sweden rose to a peak in 1977 before falling, while Italy rose and then levelled off. Several figures are also substantially inaccurate: the UK ended at about 8.7 tonnes, not 8; Sweden ended near 5.4, not 4; and Portugal reached about 5.4, not well over 9. The report therefore selects some relevant trends but misrepresents important details and does not clearly summarise the main changes. Focus on accurate turning points and end values, and compare the countries’ overall directions.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and two detail paragraphs. This gives the reader some organisation, and phrases such as “Overall” and “On the other hand” signal relationships between ideas. However, progression is weakened by the contradictory overview and by comparisons that are not consistently grouped or clearly completed. The final paragraph combines Italy and Portugal, but the figures and trends are difficult to follow, while “Whereas” introduces a fragment rather than a complete contrast. Some linking words are also used mechanically. Organise the details by clear patterns—for example, declining countries and rising countries—and use complete sentences with references that make each comparison explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “emissions,” “declined,” “increased” and “steadily,” and the reader can generally identify the topic and intended trends. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “accumulated to” for a recorded figure, “encountered” for emissions, and “recorded an rose.” These choices make parts of the report awkward or unclear. Spelling errors such as “avenrage,” “toones” and “momre” are noticeable and reduce precision. Use straightforward, accurate reporting language consistently, such as “stood at,” “rose to,” “fell to” and “remained stable,” and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including contrast clauses beginning with “While” and “Whereas.” However, these attempts are often faulty, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to interpret. For example, “Portugal experience the less average” has problems with tense, article use and sentence construction, while “Whereas, Portugal recorded an rose steadily” is not a complete, grammatical clause. The sentence beginning “In 1967, United Kingdom accumulated…” also lacks a clear grammatical connection between its clauses. Practise forming complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, maintain past tense when describing the graph, and use contrast conjunctions within correctly structured sentences.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.