Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-24

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 the average emissions of carbon dioxide per person in metric tons in four different countries ( United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal) from 1967 to 2007 roughly four decades apart.

Overall, the country with highest emissions of carbon dioxide per person is United Kingdom although there is a decline in the graph and the countries with lowest emissions of carbon dioxide per person are Italy and Portugal.

So, the countries where the graph shows an inclined path are Italy and Portugal where the numbers have doubled to the original numbers.

While the countries which shows a declined graph are United Kingdom and Sweden although there is a slight spike of increase in Sweden around 1977 after which the numbers have decreased.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the four countries and the period, and you note several genuine patterns: UK emissions declined, Sweden rose before falling, and Italy and Portugal increased. However, the overview is partly inaccurate: Portugal, not Italy and Portugal, had the lowest figure at the start, while by 2007 Sweden and Portugal were joint-lowest. The claim that Italy and Portugal’s figures “have doubled” is also too general and does not describe the scale of change accurately; both rose substantially, with Portugal increasing more than fourfold. The response omits key comparisons and supporting figures, so the main features are only partly reported. It is also 26 words below the required minimum. Add a fuller overview and selected data points to develop the account.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs grouping rising and falling trends. This gives the reader a general route through the information. However, progression is limited because the final two paragraphs largely repeat the same broad distinction, and there is little comparison between countries within those groups. The opening “So” is an informal and somewhat mechanical link, while “While” begins a sentence that is not completed as a full independent clause. The overview also does not clearly guide the reader toward the most important comparisons. Organise the body around contrasting trends and include figures in a logical sequence; use linking expressions only where they clarify relationships.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “average emissions,” “per person,” “decline,” “spike,” and “decreased,” so the general subject is understandable. However, the range is limited and several phrases are repetitive or imprecise, especially the repeated wording “emissions of carbon dioxide per person.” “Inclined path” is not a natural way to describe an upward trend, and “numbers have doubled to the original numbers” is unclear and does not accurately convey the changes. The phrase “slight spike of increase” is also redundant. Aim for more precise trend language and vary references to the data, for example “rose steadily,” “fell gradually,” and “per-capita emissions.” This would make the report clearer and more appropriately academic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the contrast in “although there is a decline” and the time sequence “after which the numbers have decreased.” Meaning is generally recoverable, but errors in sentence construction and agreement are noticeable. For example, “the country with highest emissions … is United Kingdom” needs articles, and “the countries which shows” has a subject–verb agreement error. The sentence beginning “While the countries…” is a dependent clause presented as a complete sentence, and the opening sentence’s parenthetical list has awkward spacing and punctuation. Tense choices are also inconsistent when describing a completed period, as in “have decreased.” Practise complete clauses, article use, and consistent past-tense reporting while retaining some varied sentence structures.

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