Band 8 model answer
A model answer written to illustrate a Band 8 response to this question, with the rubric breakdown and what carries it. Written by us as a teaching example, not a verified exam script.
“The bar chart shows CO2 emissions per capita in five countries in 2010 and 2020.”8
Overall
8
Task response
8
Coherence & cohesion
8
Lexical resource
8
Grammar
The bar chart compares CO2 emissions per person in five countries in 2010 and 2020.
Overall, the USA was the largest emitter in both years by a considerable margin, and most countries recorded a decline over the decade. China, however, was a notable exception, as its emissions rose between the two periods.
In 2010, the USA emitted 17.85 tonnes per person, roughly twice the German figure of 9.97 tonnes and more than 12 times India's 1.39 tonnes. By 2020, American emissions had fallen substantially to 13.47 tonnes, while Germany also declined to 7.72 tonnes. Brazil and India showed only marginal changes, dropping slightly from 2.27 to 2.15 tonnes and rising modestly from 1.39 to 1.68 tonnes respectively.
China's trajectory stood apart from the others. Its per capita emissions increased from 6.81 tonnes in 2010 to 8.48 tonnes in 2020, overtaking Germany to become the second-highest emitter by 2020. Despite this rise, India remained the lowest-emitting country in both years. The overall pattern therefore shows a general reduction in emissions among the wealthier nations alongside continued growth in China.
- •Opens with a concise overview that captures both the dominant country and the key exception (China's increase).
- •Accurate cross-year comparisons with precise figures and effective relative language: 'roughly twice', 'more than 12 times'.
- •Correctly identifies China overtaking Germany by 2020, demonstrating close reading of the data.
- •Clean paragraph structure separating the declining group from the notable outlier.
- •Could briefly note that India's 2020 figure, while rising, still remained the lowest across both years to reinforce the ranking.
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