Key features to report

• Per capita emissions fell in the UK and Sweden but rose in Italy and Portugal, so the four countries became much closer together by 2007.
• The UK had the highest emissions throughout, but they declined gradually from almost 11 tonnes in 1967 to just under 9 tonnes in 2007.
• Sweden rose from about 8.5 tonnes in 1967 to a peak of just over 10 tonnes in 1977, then fell sharply to about 7 tonnes in 1987 and continued down to around 5.5 tonnes in 2007.
• Italy increased from just over 4 tonnes in 1967 to about 6.3 tonnes in 1977, overtook Sweden shortly after 1987 and levelled off at around 7.5 tonnes from 1997 to 2007.
• Portugal had the lowest emissions but the most dramatic relative growth, rising steadily from just over 1 tonne in 1967 to about 5.5 tonnes in 2007, when it drew level with Sweden.
• The y-axis shows tonnes per person, not total national emissions, so the answer should refer to emissions per person or per capita.

Model overview

Overall, average emissions per person fell in the UK and Sweden but rose in Italy and Portugal, so the gap between the four countries narrowed considerably. The UK remained the highest emitter throughout, while Portugal had the lowest figures until 2007.

Paragraph plan

1. 1

   Introduction

   Paraphrase the task in one sentence: the line graph compares average carbon dioxide emissions per person, in metric tonnes, in the UK, Sweden, Italy and Portugal between 1967 and 2007.

2. 2

   Overview

   Give the main patterns without figures: emissions fell in the UK and Sweden, rose in Italy and Portugal, the countries converged, the UK was always highest and Portugal was lowest for most of the period.

3. 3

   Body paragraph 1: the UK and Sweden

   Describe the UK's gradual fall from almost 11 to just under 9 tonnes. Then give Sweden's rise to a peak of just over 10 tonnes in 1977, its sharp fall to about 7 tonnes in 1987 and its further decline to around 5.5 tonnes.

4. 4

   Body paragraph 2: Italy and Portugal

   Describe Italy's rise from just over 4 tonnes to about 7.5 tonnes, overtaking Sweden shortly after 1987 and then levelling off. Then give Portugal's steady climb from just over 1 tonne to about 5.5 tonnes, drawing level with Sweden in 2007.

Useful comparisons

• Group the two countries whose emissions fell (the UK and Sweden) and the two whose emissions rose (Italy and Portugal).
• Contrast the UK's slow, steady decline with Sweden's sharp rise and fall.
• Highlight the crossing points: Italy overtook Sweden shortly after 1987, and Portugal drew level with Sweden in 2007.
• Show convergence: in 1967 the range was from about 1 to 11 tonnes, but by 2007 it was only from about 5.5 to 9 tonnes.
• Compare relative growth: Portugal's emissions rose more than fourfold, while Italy's increase was smaller and stopped after 1997.

Band 8+ model answer

205 words · An original model answer written for ieltswrites, not an official answer. It stays in English, as in the exam.

Why this answer scores highly

Task Achievement

The answer gives a clear overview of the opposite trends and the narrowing gap, and supports each key feature, including Sweden's peak and the crossing points, with accurate approximate figures.

Coherence and Cohesion

The countries are grouped logically by direction of change, and devices such as by contrast, then and from that point on guide the reader through the comparisons.

Lexical Resource

Varied trend language such as declined gradually, climbed to a peak, levelled off and drew level with is used precisely, and per person is paraphrased with per capita and the average Briton.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

Past tenses are used accurately throughout, alongside participle clauses, relative clauses and approximate expressions such as just under 9 tonnes.

Useful vocabulary

per capita

for each person; a formal synonym for per person

carbon dioxide emissions

the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere

metric tonnes

units of weight equal to 1,000 kilograms

emitter

a country or thing that produces gases such as carbon dioxide

decline gradually

fall slowly over a long period

peak at

reach the highest point before falling

plummet

fall very quickly and by a large amount

level off

stop rising or falling and stay at about the same level

overtake

rise above another country's figure

draw level with

reach the same figure as another country

converge

move closer together

fourfold increase

a rise to four times the original amount

the gap narrowed

the difference between figures became smaller

Common mistakes

• Writing about total national emissions, when the graph shows the average amount per person.
• Describing all four countries one by one with every figure instead of grouping rising and falling countries.
• Missing Sweden's peak in 1977, which is the only clear rise and fall on the graph.
• Claiming that Portugal overtook Sweden, when the two lines only meet at around 5.5 tonnes in 2007.
• Giving overly precise figures for values between gridlines instead of using about, just under or just over.
• Leaving out the overview or failing to mention that the countries' emissions became much closer by the end of the period.

Frequently asked questions

Which Cambridge book is this question from?

This line graph about average carbon dioxide emissions per person in the UK, Sweden, Italy and Portugal is Writing Task 1 of Test 3 in Cambridge IELTS 11 Academic, published in 2016.

How should I give figures that fall between gridlines?

Use approximate language such as about, roughly, just under or just over, for example just under 9 tonnes for the UK in 2007. Examiners expect reasonable approximations, not exact decimals.

Do I need to mention every figure on the graph?

No. Select the key features: the start and end values, Sweden's peak, the overall rises and falls, and where the lines cross or meet.

How many words should I write for this Task 1?

Write at least 150 words; about 170-200 words is enough to cover the overview and the main comparisons in around 20 minutes.