Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The diagram illustrates the whole process of how biofuel named ethanol being produced.

Overall, the process demonstrates stages from cultivating plants and trees to grow them, followed by harvesting to converting it into cellulose. that is later proccessed into sugar. After ethanol being produced, thereafter, as we all know that ethanol is perfect alternative of petrol. Depsite being less harmful for the Ecosystem, it relealses Carbon Dioxide and pollute the environment, utilized by transportation.

In the beginning of the process, sunlight and carbon dioxide generates the enegy which helps plants and trees in their growth. After harvesting the plants, pre-processing machine grind the plants so that cellulose can be seperated from it. Furthermore, processing the product playing the vital role during the whole process. Subsequently, cellulose goes for the further process to become sugar.

Then the last step takes place, microbes added into sugar produce the biofuel called ethanol. Later on, ethanol is being utilised in transportation and becuase of this Carbon dioxide pollutes the environment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the process as ethanol production and include several key stages: plant growth, harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose, sugars, microbes and ethanol. The overview also recognises that the process involves transport and carbon dioxide. However, some important relationships are unclear or inaccurately described. For example, the diagram shows sunlight and carbon dioxide supporting plant growth, and carbon dioxide from transport returning to the plants in a cycle; your account instead says it “pollutes the environment” and does not clearly explain this return. The overview also says the plants are converted into cellulose, but the sequence of pre-processing and cellulose could be stated more precisely. To strengthen the response, describe the full cycle accurately and avoid adding unsupported evaluation such as ethanol being “less harmful.”

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an overview followed by stages in sequence, and paragraphing helps separate the beginning from the later production steps. Connectors such as “In the beginning,” “Furthermore” and “Subsequently” guide the reader through the process. However, some links are mechanical or do not express the relationship clearly. The overview’s sequence—“followed by harvesting to converting it into cellulose”—is difficult to follow, and “After ethanol being produced, thereafter” repeats the transition. The final paragraph also omits a clear link between the transport modes, carbon dioxide release and the return to plant growth. Use fewer repeated transition phrases and make each sentence show the next stage or the cycle relationship explicitly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “harvesting,” “cellulose,” “microbes” and “transportation,” which helps communicate the main subject. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “the vital role.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward: “cultivating plants and trees to grow them,” “pre-processing machine grind,” and “pollutes the environment” do not describe the diagram precisely. Spelling errors such as “proccessed,” “seperated,” “becuase” and “relealses” also reduce control. Aim for precise, neutral process language and check spelling; for example, describe the material as being processed rather than saying it “plays the vital role.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses of purpose (“so that cellulose can be separated”) and time (“After harvesting the plants”). However, errors in verb forms, agreement and sentence construction are frequent enough to make some sentences awkward or unclear. Examples include “how biofuel named ethanol being produced,” “sunlight and carbon dioxide generates,” and “After ethanol being produced.” The overview also contains a sentence fragment beginning “that is later proccessed,” while the long sentence beginning “Despite being less harmful” has unclear structure and punctuation. Practise accurate passive forms for process descriptions, such as “ethanol is produced” and “microbes are added,” and check that each sentence has a complete, correctly connected clause.

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