Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-31

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 7.5)

The process diagram shows the various steps involved in production of Ethanol.

Overall, the process consists of 8 steps, starting from plants and ending with produced ethanol. It also shows how the cycle repeats itself from the carbon dioxide released by the vehicles running on ethanol.

The cycle begins with plants. Tractors and other machines are used to harvest these plants. The harvested plants undergo preprocessing using machines inside factories where they get converted into cellulose. The cellulose passes through chemical processing inside factories which converts them into sugars. For forming ethanol from the sugars, microbes are added to it that convert sugars into ethanol.

The produced ethanol could be used as a fuel to run automotives such as cars, airplanes, buses, etc. These vehicles on combustion of ethanol release gases such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This carbon dioxide along with sunlight is used by plants to grow. These trees are again used to create ethanol and the cycle keeps repeating itself. This is how Ethanol is made from plants.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response successfully identifies the main features of the ethanol production process. You have clearly outlined the eight steps and accurately described the cyclical nature of the process, including the role of carbon dioxide and sunlight. The overview is concise and effectively captures the essence of the diagram. To reach a higher band, you could improve the integration of the 'comparison' aspect by explicitly contrasting the industrial stages with the natural stages, or by using more precise terminology to describe the transformation phases (e.g., 'fermentation' instead of 'forming ethanol'). Overall, the task is well-addressed with a clear logical flow.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding summary. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, moving chronologically through the production cycle. You make good use of cohesive devices such as 'The cycle begins with', 'The produced ethanol', and 'These vehicles'. However, the paragraphing could be slightly more balanced; the second paragraph is quite long compared to the others. Additionally, some transitions between sentences are slightly repetitive. Using a wider variety of cohesive markers, such as 'subsequently', 'consequently', or 'thereby', would enhance the flow and coherence of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'combustion', 'preprocessing', and 'cellulose' correctly. The language is generally precise and appropriate for a process description. However, there is some repetition of basic verbs like 'used' and 'converted'. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms to describe the stages of the process. For instance, instead of 'get converted', you could use 'transformed' or 'processed'. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the information clearly, but lacks the sophistication and flexibility required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear and grammatically sound, such as 'The harvested plants undergo preprocessing using machines inside factories where they get converted into cellulose.' There are minor errors, such as 'automotives' (which is usually referred to as 'automobiles' or 'vehicles') and 'These vehicles on combustion of ethanol release gases', which is slightly awkward in phrasing. While you have control over basic grammar, the range of complex structures is somewhat limited. Increasing the use of passive voice, which is standard for process descriptions, would improve both accuracy and academic tone.

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