Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The graph illustrates information about carbon dioxide emmited by per person in four various regions from 1967 to 2007.

Overall, Untied Kingdom was seen dominant initiall but faced a steady decline over time, Sweden fluctuated at first but faced a dramatic fall at the end. Italy and Portugal were the countries that faced fluctuations but but raise to the their highest points.

Starting from United Kingdom, that had almost 11 metric tonnes of CO2 emmisions in 1967, it was recorded the top figure but it then start falling to just 9 metri tonnes in 2007. However, rate of carbon dioxide released in metric tonnes was 9 in 1967 and in 1977 it crossed 10 tonnes. The figure had fallen considerably to just 7 tonnes in 1987 consequently faced a further steady decline and reached just under 6 tonnes.

Regarding the remaining two countries that showed an upward trend, Italy started from 4.2 tonnes in 1967 and rose above 6 tonnes in 1977. It was below 8 until 1997 and by 2007 it leveled off at 7 tonnes. Portugal was the least common emersed from 1 tone in 1967 and by 1987 it was almost 3 tonnes then rose suddenly to 5 tonnes in 1997. Finally, it came as the same level of Sweden that was 5 tonnes in 2007.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the overall contrast between the UK’s decline and the general rises in Italy and Portugal, and you include several relevant figures. However, some key details are inaccurate or unclear: the UK ended at about 8.7 tonnes, not 9 exactly, while the paragraph beginning “However” describes Sweden but incorrectly says it was 9 tonnes in 1967; the actual starting point was about 8.6. Sweden peaked in 1977 and then declined, rather than experiencing a dramatic fall only at the end. The overview also says Italy and Portugal fluctuated, although both rose overall and Italy levelled off near the end. To strengthen the report, give a more precise overview and clearly distinguish each country’s trend and comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and paragraphs describing the figures. Sequencing phrases such as “Starting from” and “Regarding” help signal movement through the data. However, the organisation becomes confusing when the UK paragraph shifts to Sweden without naming it: “However, rate of carbon dioxide…” makes the country being discussed unclear. The overview also groups Italy and Portugal together as fluctuating, which does not accurately prepare the reader for the details. Some linking is mechanical or imprecise, including “consequently” and “Finally, it came as the same level of Sweden.” Use one paragraph per clearly identified group or country, and make references explicit so the reader can follow the comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “metric tonnes,” “decline,” “upward trend” and “leveled off,” and you attempt a range of descriptive expressions. However, inaccurate word choice and spelling are noticeable and sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. Examples include “carbon dioxide emmited by per person,” “Untied Kingdom,” “least common emersed” and “1 tone.” Phrases such as “faced fluctuations but but raise to the their highest points” are also awkward and imprecise. Aim for standard collocations such as “emissions per person,” “rose to a peak” and “recorded the lowest figure.” Proofreading spelling and avoiding unnecessary synonyms will make your descriptions clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses linked with “but,” “however” and “that,” and the main message is generally recoverable. However, grammatical control is uneven, particularly in longer sentences. For example, “Starting from United Kingdom, that had almost 11…” is an incomplete and awkwardly formed sentence, while “it then start falling” has an incorrect verb form. In “Sweden fluctuated at first but faced a dramatic fall,” the tense and phrasing are not well controlled, and “it came as the same level of Sweden” lacks a clear grammatical comparison. Practise complete sentence structures, consistent past-tense reporting, and accurate articles and verb forms. Shorter, well-controlled sentences would help convey the data reliably.

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