Task
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.
Candidate’s Answer
This is written by a candidate who achieved a Band 6.0 score.
The graph shows the changes in the emission of carbon dioxide in 4 European countries in the period from 1967 to 2007.
The production of carbon dioxide in Portugal and Italy was steadily increasing during that period. In 1967 emission of carbon dioxide in Portugal was approximately 1.3 metric tonnes and in 2007 the emission there achieved 5.4. In Italy in the beginning of the period was a bit higher than 4. However, it increased only till 7.8 by 2007
The emission of carbon dioxide in United Kingdom and Sweden was under decrease during that period of time. The emission of carbon dioxide in United Kingdom in 1967 was the highest one among all these 4 countries (about 11). But after 1967, it gradually decreased to about 9 metric tonnes. The emission in Sweden was around 8, 6 metric tonnes in the beginning, then it steadily increased till 10.5 metric tonnes. However, in 1977 it got tremendous deacrease in the emission of carbon dioxide which underwent till 2007. In 2007 the emission in Sweden was at the same level with Portugal – around 5.4-5.6.
The changes in emission of carbon dioxide can be connected with the changes in economical development and appearance of some new technologies which reduce emissions.
Examiner’s Comment
The candidate has reported all the data in the graph and provides summaries of the main trends (The production of carbon dioxide in Portugal and Italy was steadily increasing during that period, The emission of carbon dioxide in United Kingdom and Sweden was under decrease during that period of time). There are attempts at comparison (The emission of carbon dioxide in United Kingdom in 1967 was the highest one among all these 4 countries, In 2007 the emission in Sweden was at the same level with Portugal), but there is some irrelevant material in the final paragraph. There is a clear overall progression, with some use of cohesive devices (However, in the beginning). The range of lexis is adequate and appropriate for the task (production of carbon dioxide, a bit higher, increased, decreased) and although there are some errors in word choice (was under decrease, underwent/continued) and spelling (tones/tonnes, deacrease), these do not prevent the message from coming across. There are some attempts to produce complex sentence forms, with good control over grammatical accuracy.
