Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-16

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 line graph illustrates the average carbon dioxide emmissions in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal in the years 1967 and 2007.

Overall, carbon dioxide emmission in 1967 and 2007 is highest in the United Kingdom and lowest in Portugal and Sweden. However, being said that United Kingdom has the highest reported CO2 in those years, it declined to around 8.8 metric tonnes from 10.9 metric tonnes.

In the year 1967, the report shows that Potugal has approximately 2 tonnes of CO2, while United Kingdom as the highest having approximately 11 tonnes. The countries Italy and Sweden being in the middle were reported to have more or less 4.2 tonnes and 8.9 tonnes of CO2 emmissions. Fast forward to 2007, there were movements on the metric tonnes emmissions of the four countries. The UK remained the highest with a metric tonnes of 9. Second to the highest resported to be Italy, with 8.8 metric tonnes. The countries Sweden and Portugal turned out to have the same CO2 emmissions of approximately 5.6 metric tonnes in the year 2007.

In conclusion, In the years 1967 to 2007, the UK has the most average of Carbon Dioxide emmissions among Sweden, Italy, and Portugal.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the countries and give a clear broad point that the UK remained highest, with its emissions falling. You also report several endpoint figures, and the UK and Portugal estimates are close to the chart. However, the task covers 1967–2007, while your introduction and most of the report focus only on 1967 and 2007. This leaves out important developments, especially Sweden’s peak in 1977 and subsequent decline, and the steady rises in Italy and Portugal. There is also a significant misreading: Italy was about 7.6 tonnes in 2007, not 8.8; Sweden and Portugal were both about 5.4. The overview’s claim that Portugal and Sweden were lowest in 1967 is unclear, since Portugal alone was lowest. Include the main trends across the period and check comparisons against the graph.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

Your response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview, a paragraph of figures and a concluding statement. The chronological movement from 1967 to 2007 in the main paragraph gives the reader some organisation. However, the progression is limited because the account largely jumps between the two endpoints rather than grouping and comparing the countries’ trends across the period. Some linking is awkward or repetitive, particularly “However, being said that” and “Fast forward to 2007,” and the final “In conclusion” repeats the overview without adding a useful comparison. The phrase “The countries Italy and Sweden being in the middle” also makes the relationship between the figures less clear. Organise the body around contrasting trends and use concise, accurate links between comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “metric tonnes,” “declined,” “highest,” and “CO2 emissions,” so the reader can generally understand the subject. There is some attempt to vary wording with phrases such as “remained the highest” and “turned out to have the same.” However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing a graph. “The report shows” is less suitable than “the graph shows,” while “movements on the metric tonnes emissions” does not express the changes clearly. Spelling errors such as “emmissions,” “Potugal,” and “resported” are noticeable, and “average of Carbon Dioxide emissions” is an awkward phrase. Use standard forms such as “emissions” consistently and practise precise trend language, including “rose steadily,” “peaked,” and “fell gradually.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, and the main message is usually understandable. However, control is uneven, especially in longer constructions. For example, “However, being said that United Kingdom has the highest reported CO2” is not a well-formed clause, and “The countries Italy and Sweden being in the middle were reported to have” lacks a clear finite verb structure. There are also recurring issues with articles and agreement: “United Kingdom as the highest” needs a complete clause, and “carbon dioxide emmission … is highest” does not agree naturally with the plural countries and emissions being discussed. Capitalisation and punctuation are inconsistent, as in “In conclusion, In the years.” Build comparisons with complete clauses—for example, “The UK had the highest figure, although its emissions declined”—and check articles, verb forms and sentence boundaries.

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