Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-21

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 tracks the information about average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per person betweent 1967 and 2007. Although, it contains different countries such as United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal.

Overall, different years ranges from 1967 to 2007 are ploted on X axis, whereas, different CO2 emissions in metric tonnes are ploted on Y axis. Furthermore, highest number of CO2 is consumed in United kingdom, while lowest consumption of CO2 is observed in Portugal.

Initially, in United Kingdom carbon dioxide emissions per person started from approximately 11 tonnes in 1967, however it gradually decline and stands at nearby 9 tonnes in 2007. Moreover, in Sweden between 8 to 10 tonnes CO2 emissions are observed in per person, while it steadly grow and after 1977 it swiftly fall and stands between 4 to 9 tonnes. In addition to this, the emission of CO2 in Italy and Portugal rapidly raise with a zigzag trend, whereas, Italy stands above 6 tonnes and Portugal above 4 tonnes. They both decrease in 1987, but again grow in 1997.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the graph’s subject and give a broad overview, noting that the UK is highest overall and Portugal starts lowest. You also report the UK’s decline and Sweden’s rise to a peak followed by a fall. However, several key comparisons are unclear or inaccurate: Sweden ends at about 5.4 tonnes, not somewhere “between 4 to 9,” and Italy and Portugal do not both decrease in 1987. Italy rises from about 6.3 in 1977 to 6.7 in 1987, while Portugal also increases. The overview would be stronger if it highlighted the main overall pattern: emissions fell in the UK and Sweden, while Italy and Portugal rose, with Italy finishing second-highest. Some relevant features are present, but others are underdeveloped or misreported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details about the countries. Linking expressions such as “Moreover” and “In addition to this” show an attempt to connect information. However, progression is not always clear: the overview spends space describing the axes rather than summarising the main trends, and the final paragraph combines several countries without a clear sequence of comparisons. Some connectors are used inaccurately or mechanically, including “Although” at the start of the introduction and “whereas” where the relationship between the trends is not clearly expressed. Organise the body by contrasting the declining countries with the rising ones, and use linking words only when their logical relationship is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “emissions,” “per person,” “metric tonnes,” “gradually,” and “rapidly,” so the reader can generally understand the subject. There is some attempt to vary wording, but several choices are imprecise or unnatural for describing a graph. “CO2 is consumed” confuses emissions with consumption, while “zigzag trend” does not accurately describe the mostly steady rises in Italy and Portugal. “Highest number” and “lowest consumption” are also less suitable than language describing emission levels. Spelling errors such as “betweent,” “ploted,” “steadly,” and “raise” reduce accuracy. Use precise trend vocabulary and check spelling and collocations when editing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “while” and “whereas,” and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, errors occur in sentence construction, verb forms, articles, and punctuation. For example, “Although, it contains different countries” is an incomplete and incorrectly punctuated clause, and “it gradually decline” needs a past-tense verb. The phrase “different years ranges” also has faulty agreement, while “in Sweden between 8 to 10 tonnes CO2 emissions are observed in per person” has an unclear grammatical structure. Aim for direct, complete sentences, such as “Swedish emissions peaked in 1977 before falling to 5.4 tonnes in 2007.” Check tense consistency and sentence boundaries.

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