Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-25

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 5.0)

The line graph illustrates the average release of carbon dioxide per person in four different countries between 1967 and 2007.

Overall, in the UK people emited most carbon dioxide through out all the time period, and Portugal emited lowest carbon dioxide over the given time period.

United Kingdom emitted the most ever carbon dioxide among all the four countries with the gradually declining trend through out the time period, while Sweden stands at second

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the graph’s subject and give a relevant overview: the UK is highest throughout, while Portugal is lowest. You also begin to describe the UK’s decline. However, the response reports very few of the main features and does not complete the comparison: the final sentence stops at “Sweden stands at second,” with no account of Sweden’s peak and subsequent fall, or Italy’s and Portugal’s rises. The overview also misses the important change by the end, when Italy and Portugal reach similar levels and Sweden is no longer second. The response is substantially below the required 150 words, leaving the task only minimally addressed. Add a complete overview and select key trends and comparisons with approximate figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is a basic sense of organisation: an opening sentence introduces the graph, followed by an overview and an attempt to discuss individual countries. This gives the reader a starting point, and “Overall” signals a summary. However, the response has no clear progression beyond the opening observations, and it ends abruptly after “Sweden stands at second,” leaving the idea unfinished. The repeated focus on the UK and Portugal does not lead into a structured account of the remaining trends. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and key details, then group countries by trend—for example, the declining UK and Sweden versus the rising Italy and Portugal. Complete each comparison and use linking phrases to show changes over time.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to identify the topic and communicate the broad trends, with phrases such as “average release of carbon dioxide,” “gradually declining trend,” and “time period.” There is some repetition of “emited” and “carbon dioxide,” and several expressions are not natural for describing graph data: “emitted the most ever carbon dioxide” and “stands at second” are awkward or unclear. Spelling errors in “emited” and “through out” also reduce accuracy. Choose precise collocations such as “emissions per person,” “recorded the highest level,” and “ranked second,” and vary the language used to describe increases and decreases. This would make the limited range more effective and the comparisons easier to understand.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use simple clauses and make an attempt at a more developed sentence with “while,” so there is some structural variety. The main ideas remain understandable, but control is uneven. In “people emited most carbon dioxide,” the verb form is incorrect, and “through out all the time period” has an inaccurate construction. The final sentence is incomplete: “while Sweden stands at second” needs a completed comparison or a full stop and further explanation. The response also relies heavily on basic sentence patterns, so it does not yet show a controlled range of structures. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and complete sentences, and use clauses such as “whereas” or “although” to compare trends without leaving ideas unfinished.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.