Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The graph decribes about the some countries discharging of carbon dioxide per person between the 1967 and 2007.In general, there are siginificantly four countries they are the United Kingdom,Sweden,Italy and Portugal.

Overall, the emission of carbon dioxide in portugal and Italy countries are minimal high. The United Kingdom is decreased steply and Sweden is maintain high up to 1977 but after it slowly decreased.

Firstly the country of highest emissions is United Kingdom in 1967 but slowly it starts falling from 1977 to 2007 it fallen aproximately 11 to 9 metric tonnes.Coming to Sweden risen from 9 to 11 tonnes in 1977 next it decreased to 5 tonnes in 2007.

Secondly The Emission of carbon dioxide starts from low in 1967 and it siginificantly grow upto 2007 it is Portugal. Another country as same to portugal but it starting point from 4 tonnes in 1967 continues to slightly increased to 8 tonnes in 2007.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify all four countries and report several important trends, including the UK’s overall decline and Sweden’s rise to a peak in 1977 followed by a fall. However, the overview is unclear: saying emissions in Portugal and Italy are “minimal high” does not accurately summarise their contrasting patterns. Portugal rose steadily from the lowest level, while Italy increased and then levelled off. The final comparison also gives Italy’s 2007 figure as about 8 tonnes, which is slightly high, and does not mention that the UK remained the highest emitter at the end. To strengthen the response, give a clear overview of the main contrasts and report the key figures more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure, with an opening, an overview and two detail paragraphs. Sequencing phrases such as “Firstly” and “Secondly” help signal the order of information, and the reader can generally follow which countries are being discussed. However, progression is weakened by unclear or repetitive linking, and some references are difficult to interpret. For example, “Another country as same to portugal” does not clearly name Italy until the reader infers it from the figures. The overview also repeats country information without establishing a clear comparison. Organise the details into clearer comparisons—perhaps declining versus rising trends—and use explicit country names and more natural transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “emissions,” “metric tonnes,” “decreased” and “risen,” so the subject is recognisable. However, the range is limited and several inaccurate word choices or collocations make the meaning unclear. “Minimal high” does not express a clear comparison, “discharging of carbon dioxide” is unnatural for describing per-person emissions, and “maintain high” is not the appropriate phrase for Sweden’s trend. Spelling errors such as “decribes,” “siginificantly” and “aproximately” also reduce accuracy. Build a reliable set of trend expressions and check spelling; choose words that describe direction and degree precisely rather than combining terms with conflicting meanings.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and more extended sentences, but control is inconsistent, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to read. For example, “The United Kingdom is decreased steply” has an incorrect verb construction, while “Sweden is maintain high up to 1977” has problems with verb form and tense. Articles and sentence boundaries are also unreliable, as in “The graph decribes about the some countries” and the run-on opening sentence. Use past simple forms consistently for the historical data (“fell,” “rose,” “remained”), and practise building complete sentences with a clear subject and verb. More accurate basic structures will make your comparisons easier to understand.

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.