Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-12

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

 

The diagram below shows how a biofuel called ethanol is produced.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The diagram illustrates the process of manufacturing biofuel known as ethanol.

Overall,the manufacturing process of ethanol consists of 8 stages and different tools and infrustructures,from the plantation of tree and plants to the production of ethanol.

At the first stage of the process,trees and plants are grown consuming energy from the sun.After being matured,the plants are harvested by tructors.Then it is crushed by a machine,which is called as pre-processing,extructing cellulose from the plants.

In the following process,known as proccesing, the cellulose is taken to the lab to process sugars from it. Next,the microbes are added to the sugars resulting the production of Ethanol. the ethanol is used in cars, planes and other vehichels,which later emits carbon dioxide in the atmostphare. the realasing carbon dioxide is taken by the trees and plants.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the diagram as ethanol production and include several central stages: plant growth, harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose, processing, sugars, microbes and ethanol. You also recognise the cycle in which transport emissions return to plants. However, the overview says there are “8 stages,” although the diagram presents a longer sequence, and some details are inaccurate or imprecise: it shows harvesting with a tractor, but does not specify that the plants are crushed by a machine or that processing takes place in a lab. The account also omits the explicit role of sunlight and carbon dioxide in plant growth and gives little detail about the three transport modes. The response is 19 words below the required minimum. Add a fuller, accurate overview and describe the stages and cycle more completely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable progression from an introduction and overview to the early production stages and then the later stages and carbon cycle. Sequencing phrases such as “At the first stage” and “In the following process” help the reader follow the process. However, the overview is brief, and the final paragraph combines several distinct steps—sugar production, adding microbes, ethanol use and carbon dioxide return—into a dense sequence. The link between the stages could be clearer, particularly where the account moves from processing to transport. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and the main stages, and connect each stage explicitly to the next. Also ensure spacing after punctuation, as in “Overall,the,” to make the presentation easier to read.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “harvested,” “cellulose,” “microbes,” and “carbon dioxide,” which allows the main subject to be understood. There are also attempts at more specific terms, such as “pre-processing” and “manufacturing.” However, several spelling errors and imprecise choices reduce accuracy: “infrustructures,” “tructors,” “extructing,” “proccesing,” “vehichels,” “atmostphare,” and “realasing.” Some phrases are also unnatural or unsupported by the diagram, such as “plantation of tree and plants” and “taken to the lab.” Prefer precise process descriptions and check spelling carefully. For example, describe cellulose as being obtained from plant material, rather than saying it is “extracted” by an unspecified machine.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including a time clause in “After being matured” and a relative clause in “which later emits carbon dioxide.” The overall sequence remains understandable, but some grammatical errors affect clarity. For example, “After being matured” is an awkward passive construction; “After they mature” is more natural. In “Then it is crushed,” the pronoun does not clearly agree with the plural “plants,” and “the microbes are added to the sugars resulting the production” needs a clearer grammatical link, such as “which results in ethanol production.” Articles and sentence boundaries also need attention: “the ethanol” begins a new sentence with a lowercase letter, while “the plants” is used inconsistently. Aim for accurate clauses and punctuation before adding more complex structures.

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