Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The data illustrates the average release of carbon dioxide per person in various European countries over the span of 40 years.

Overall , a downward trend can be noticed in the UK with Sweden showing a bit of elevation subsequently followed by a steep downfall. On the other hand, Italy and Portugal both depict a surge in carbon dioxide emission from 1967 to 2007.

Firstly, a considerate amount of control can be seen in release of carbon dioxide in both UK and Sweden as UK has demonstrated a gradual decrease from roughly 11 tonnes in 1967 to about 9 tonnes in 2007. Additionally , Sweden displayed a soar in the release from approximately 8.5 tonnes in 1967 to just above 10 tonnes in 1977, after that, the concentration dropped dramatically to around 5 tonnes in 2007.

On the contrary, CO2 emission in Portugal and Italy indicated an increase over time. In Portugal it started off at below 2 tonnes in 1967 and elevated to around 3 in 1987 succeeded by a rise to roughly 5 in 2007. Furthermore , Italy showed a much more steady increase from just above 4 tonnes in 1967 and culminating at just below 8 tonnes in 2007.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You give a clear overview of the main patterns: UK emissions decline, Sweden rises before falling, and Italy and Portugal increase. The key comparisons are supported with relevant figures, such as the UK’s fall from roughly 11 to 9 tonnes and Sweden’s peak at just over 10 tonnes in 1977. You also correctly identify Italy as rising from just above 4 to nearly 8 tonnes, while Portugal climbs from a low starting point to around 5 tonnes. The account covers the period and all four countries. To make the report more precise, note that Italy levels off between 1997 and 2007, and that Portugal reaches approximately the same final level as Sweden; these useful comparisons are not stated explicitly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear four-part structure: introduction, overview, and two body paragraphs grouping the declining and rising series. This gives the information a logical progression, and signposts such as “Overall,” “Firstly,” and “On the contrary” help readers follow the comparisons. The grouping is generally effective, though some linking phrases feel mechanical or do not express the relationship precisely. For example, “On the contrary” suggests a direct opposition, whereas “By contrast” would be more natural here. The overview also repeats the same broad grouping that the body develops, while the final paragraph could connect the countries through their end values. Use fewer formulaic transitions and make comparisons between series more explicit to strengthen cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of vocabulary for describing trends, including “gradual decrease,” “dropped dramatically,” “steady increase,” and “surge.” These choices make the main movements clear, and the topic-specific terms are generally appropriate. However, several less common expressions are inaccurate or awkward in context: “a considerate amount of control” does not describe the data, “displayed a soar” is an incorrect collocation, and “elevated” is not a natural way to report a rising figure. “Release” and “concentration” also vary from the chart’s measure of per-person emissions. Aim for precise, conventional trend language such as “emissions,” “rose,” “peaked,” and “declined”; this will improve naturalness without requiring more elaborate vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex structures, including clauses introduced by “as,” “after that,” and “while,” and the overall meaning remains clear. Some sentences are controlled, such as the comparison of the UK’s starting and ending figures. There are, however, several grammatical and punctuation slips. In “Sweden displayed a soar … after that, the concentration dropped,” the sentence joins clauses awkwardly; use a full stop or a semicolon before “After that.” The opening overview has an unclear construction in “with Sweden showing a bit of elevation subsequently followed by a steep downfall.” There are also inconsistent spaces before commas and after “Overall” and “Additionally.” Review clause boundaries and punctuation, and aim for more consistently accurate complex sentences.

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