Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-13

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 5.0)

The given process diagram shows how a biofuel called ethanol is produced . The biofuel production ethanol is made start the plants and trees grow and end of energy (sunlight + carbon dioxide) .

Overall , it can be seen that the plants and trees grow to Harvesting into pre-processing to cellulose into make the processing of chemical to make change the Sugars and the Sugars use to different items into make sweets and next to move microbes added to convert Ethanol . Ethanol is used Cars , Track's and Airplane and these things can convert the ethanol is carbon dioxide . The carbon dioxide to convert the energy ( sunlight + carbon dioxide) and this energy to produce the plants and trees grow .

In conclusion , the final step is energy ( sunlight+ carbon dioxide) and production can make all processing is passing to again convert in Energy ( sunlight+ carbon dioxide) .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the subject as ethanol production and include several key stages, including plant growth, harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose, processing, sugars, microbes and transport use. You also recognise the cycle in which carbon dioxide returns to support plant growth. However, some details are inaccurate or invented: the diagram does not show sugars being used to make sweets, and it does not describe the processing as chemical. The overview is difficult to follow and does not clearly summarise the main stages and circular nature of the process. The response is also 147 words, below the required 150-word minimum; the eight words copied from the task prompt are excluded. To improve, give a concise, accurate overview and describe the stages without adding unsupported information.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is an attempt to organise the response into an introduction, an overview paragraph and a conclusion, and the stages are generally presented in process order. However, the progression is hard to follow because many ideas are joined in a long, repetitive sequence, particularly in the overview beginning “the plants and trees grow to Harvesting into pre-processing”. Linking words such as “and”, “to” and “next” do not clearly show the relationships between stages. The conclusion also repeats the cycle rather than adding a clear final point. Use separate sentences to group the production stages, the uses of ethanol and the return of carbon dioxide, and use precise connectors such as “then” or “after this” only where they clarify sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use several relevant process terms, including “harvesting”, “cellulose”, “microbes” and “carbon dioxide”, which help identify the diagram’s subject. However, the vocabulary range is limited and some word choices or collocations make the meaning unclear. For example, “make change the Sugars” and “convert the ethanol is carbon dioxide” do not accurately express the process, while “Track’s” is an incorrect form for the vehicle shown. Repetition of “convert”, “make” and “energy” also reduces precision. Aim to use a small set of accurate process verbs and nouns consistently, such as “produce”, “release”, “fuel” and “stage”, and check spelling and word forms before finishing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts to describe a sequence and a cycle, but sentence structures are mostly simple or joined into long strings, and frequent grammatical errors make some relationships difficult to understand. For instance, “The biofuel production ethanol is made start the plants and trees grow” lacks a clear verb pattern, while “these things can convert the ethanol is carbon dioxide” has an unclear clause structure. Articles, verb forms and sentence boundaries are also inconsistent, as in “the final step is energy” and the repeated use of “to” between stages. Practise writing one complete sentence for each group of stages, with a clear subject and verb, and use accurate passive forms where appropriate, such as “the sugars are processed” or “ethanol is used as fuel.”

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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