Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-11-04

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 compares the average carbon dioxide emissions per resident in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy, and Portugal from 1967 to 2007.

Overall, emission of carbon dioxide by the people of Italy and portugal showed substantial increase whereas, that of United Kingdom and Sweden was in decreasing trend. Although emission of harmful gases by the residents of United Kingdom fell but remained the highest contributer for carbon dioxide emmison.

In 1967, United kingdom contributed the largest amount of carbon dioxide that is above 10 metric tone. Throughout the period, its value decreased slightly and reached around 9 metric tones in 2007. Sweden saw a major fluctuation, in 1977 C02 production peaked to around 10 metric tones from 9 metric tones in 1967. After that it dipped to around 5 metric tones in 2007, which is the least among all the carbon dioxide emmitors.

For Italy and Portugal, the initial emmision was around 4 and 1 metric tones. They both showed the significa

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the overall contrast correctly: emissions rose in Italy and Portugal, while the UK and Sweden declined over the period, and you note that the UK remained the largest emitter. Several key details are also broadly accurate, including the UK’s fall from above 10 tonnes and Sweden’s peak in 1977 followed by a decline. However, the account is only partial: the final paragraph breaks off at “They both showed the significa…”, so the later trends for Italy and Portugal are not reported. This leaves an important part of the graph unexplained, including Italy’s rise to about 7.6 tonnes and Portugal’s increase to roughly 5.4 tonnes. Complete the comparison and report the main end-point figures to make the summary more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction to an overview and then to country-specific details. Grouping the UK and Sweden together, followed by Italy and Portugal, is a sensible way to organise the graph. However, progression is weakened because the final paragraph ends mid-sentence, leaving the comparison unfinished. Some links are also awkward or unclear: “Although emission … fell but remained” combines two contrasting linkers, while “For Italy and Portugal” introduces a paragraph that does not complete its point. Use complete paragraphs and clearer transitions, such as “By contrast” or “Meanwhile,” to guide the reader through the comparisons. More consistent reference to the countries and their figures would also make the relationships between ideas easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “emissions,” “metric tonnes,” “peaked,” “dipped,” and “fluctuation,” and these choices help communicate the main trends. However, the range and control are limited by repeated or imprecise expressions such as “contributed the largest amount” and “production” for per-person emissions. Several spelling errors are noticeable, including “emmison,” “emmitors,” and “significa,” and “tone” is not the correct spelling of “tonne.” These errors reduce the accuracy and polish of the report, even though the general meaning is usually recoverable. Aim for precise, consistent terms such as “per-capita emissions” and “emitter,” and check spelling carefully before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt some complex sentence forms, including the overview’s contrast between countries and the sentence beginning “Although…”. However, control is uneven, and some structures are faulty or incomplete. For example, “Although emission … fell but remained” uses incompatible linking structures; write either “Although emissions fell, the UK remained…” or “Emissions fell, but the UK remained…”. The phrase “that of United Kingdom and Sweden was in decreasing trend” also has problems with articles and sentence construction. The final sentence is incomplete, which prevents the reader from understanding the intended comparison. Use a mix of clear simple sentences and carefully checked complex ones, paying attention to articles, agreement, and complete clauses.

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