Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-14

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 6.0)

The process diagram illustrates the method of generating ethanol from producing biofuel.

Overall, this is a nine stages cyclical process. It begins with planting and growing trees and culminating in producing ethanol and distributing to various vehicels.

Initially, trees needed to be planted and grown under the energy of sunlight and carbon dioxide than cultivated trees need to be harvested through a specialized tractor. The next step is to put trees in a machine for pre-processing , after grainding the trees into small peice it turns into Cellouse.

Following the stages, cellulose processed by using chemicals which resluts in sugars. In the final stage ethanol is produced by adding microbes. Eventually, the ethanol works as fuel and ditributed to different transportatios, including bus, car, plane. When these vehicels start their motor , it autometically emmit carbon dioxide in the environment. Further, it again works as energy to grow trees for producing ethanol.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main stages and identify the process as cyclical, noting that sunlight and carbon dioxide support plant growth and that carbon dioxide from transport returns to the plants. This gives the reader a relevant overview. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the diagram shows plants and trees growing, not being planted, and the transport modes are a car, truck and aeroplane, rather than a bus, car and plane. The sequence around processing is also compressed, and the claim that chemicals are used is not shown. To strengthen the report, describe the stages precisely: pre-processing produces cellulose, which is processed into sugars; microbes are then added to produce ethanol.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an overview is followed by the early stages and then the later stages and carbon cycle. Sequencing expressions such as “Initially,” “The next step,” and “In the final stage” help the reader follow the process. However, some links are awkward or unclear, particularly “than cultivated trees need to be harvested” and “Following the stages,” which interrupt the progression. The overview also says the process culminates in producing and distributing ethanol, while the final paragraph adds the return of carbon dioxide to plant growth. Use more direct transitions and make each stage lead clearly to the next; for example, explain the cellulose-to-sugars step before introducing microbes and ethanol.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “microbes,” and “carbon dioxide,” and terms such as “harvested” and “distributed” suit a process description. However, spelling errors and imprecise word choices reduce accuracy, including “vehicels,” “grainding,” “peice,” “Cellouse,” and “automatically emmit.” Some expressions are also unnatural, such as “the method of generating ethanol from producing biofuel” and “works as fuel.” Aim for accurate spelling and standard collocations, and avoid adding unsupported technical details such as chemicals. More precise wording would make the stages easier to understand without requiring a wider or more elaborate vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, and the sequence is generally understandable. However, some grammatical errors affect clarity. For example, “trees needed to be planted and grown … than cultivated trees need to be harvested” has an unclear comparison and inconsistent verb forms. “Cellulose processed by using chemicals” is missing a finite verb, while “it again works as energy to grow trees” has an unclear pronoun reference and awkward clause structure. There are also issues with articles, plurals and sentence boundaries. Use a consistent present simple for process stages, such as “The cellulose is processed into sugars,” and check that each sentence has a clear subject and verb. This would improve control while retaining your attempts at complex sentences.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.