Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-28

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 illustrates the propetion of carbon dioxided release per individual in selected four countries namely, United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal from 1967 to 2007.

overall United Kingdom has highest contribution of carbon dioxide per head.

Portugal has least average carbondioxide emission per humanbeing.

in 1967 Uk were at highes point of 10 metric tonnes CO2 prodcution per individaul, while sweden, italy and portugal had about 8.8,4.4,1.5 repectively.

In 1977 UK remain steady at 10, sweden surged high to figure of 10.2 average per person relases of co2. Italy and Portugal also saw hike to 6.4 and 2.1 respectively .

in 1987 Uk observe slight decreas and number fell to 10, while sweedn observed a sharp drop to number of 7. italy and Potugal rose continuously to 7 and 3 respecytively

In 2007 after continous durge Italy and portugal recorded 7.8and 5.6 mertic tonnes c02 emission per head , while sweden recorded 5.6 after sharp drop .

ul drop remain steady but still remained the highest despite Italy and portugal continous hike reamined below uk

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the four countries and cover the full period, reporting several relevant figures and trends. The overview correctly notes that the UK was generally highest and Portugal began lowest, while the details show Sweden rising before falling and Italy and Portugal increasing. Most figures are close to the chart. However, the overview is incomplete: it does not mention that Italy overtook Sweden and finished second, or that Portugal caught up with Sweden by 2007. Some details are also unclear or inaccurate, such as saying the UK was at its highest in 1967 and describing it as steady in 1977; it was slightly lower in 1977. A clearer summary of the main comparisons, supported by accurate key stages, would make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic chronological structure, moving from 1967 through 1977 and 1987 to 2007, and the country comparisons are generally relevant. This gives the reader some sense of progression. However, paragraphing and linking are limited, and the final section is difficult to follow: “ul drop remain steady” appears disconnected from the preceding sentence, while the concluding comparison is incomplete. Several sentences simply list figures without clearly showing how the trends relate. Use a distinct overview paragraph followed by logically grouped details, and connect comparisons with clear references such as “By contrast” or “Meanwhile.” Check that each sentence has a clear subject and that the final point completes the comparison.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “per person,” “sharp drop,” “rose continuously,” and “metric tonnes,” so the reader can recognise the topic and broad trends. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate, sometimes making the meaning harder to understand. Examples include “propetion” for “proportion,” “carbon dioxided release,” “surged high,” and “continuous durge.” Spelling errors such as “individaul,” “respecytively,” and “decreas” also reduce clarity. Aim for precise, conventional chart language and check spelling carefully. Phrases such as “emissions per capita,” “increased steadily,” and “declined sharply” would describe the data more naturally and accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer comparisons, and the reader can usually identify the intended trends. However, the range of sentence structures is limited, and errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction occur throughout. For example, “UK were at highes point” has an agreement error, while “UK remain steady” and “Italy and Portugal also saw hike” use incorrect verb forms or missing grammatical elements. The final lines are especially difficult to parse because the sentence structure breaks down. Practise forming complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and maintain past tense when describing the historical data. More accurate control of these basic patterns would make your comparisons much easier to follow.

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