Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The diagram illustrates the process of producing ethanol from plant materials and shows how carbon dioxide circulates within the environment.

Overall, the prodution of ethanol is a cyclic process that begins with he growth of plants that are ultimately using sunlight for their own food prodution and ends with the fuel being burned in various forms. Most important and crucial feature is the production and assimilation of carbon dioxide as it is released during etahnol production and then get reabsorbed by growing plants, creating a continuous carbon cycle.

Initially, plants and tress grow using sunlight as energy source from atmosphere. Once they get mature, they are harvested and sent for pre-processing converting them into cellulose before being processed further to produce sugars.

In the next phase, micobes are added to ferment them into ethanol. The subsequent biofuel produced is then used to power and run vehicles such as aircrafts, cars and trucks.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main features of the diagram, including the growth of plants, the production of ethanol, and the carbon cycle. However, the description is somewhat brief and lacks detail regarding the specific stages of the process, such as the conversion of cellulose to sugar or the specific role of fermentation. While the main features are identified, the report could be more comprehensive by elaborating on the technical steps shown in the diagram. The overview is clear, but the overall development of the information is limited, preventing it from reaching a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that follow the chronological flow of the process. Cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'Once', and 'In the next phase' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, the paragraphing is slightly unbalanced, and the transition between the carbon cycle explanation and the industrial process could be smoother. The progression of ideas is generally clear, though the connection between the biological and industrial stages could be more explicitly linked to improve the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'assimilate', 'cellulose', 'ferment', and 'cyclic' used appropriately. There are some spelling errors, such as 'prodution' (repeated), 'etahnol', and 'micobes', which slightly detract from the quality of the writing. While the range is sufficient to convey the process, the repetition of basic verbs and the minor spelling inaccuracies limit the score. Using more precise collocations related to industrial processes would enhance the lexical profile.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical slips, such as 'plants that are ultimately using sunlight' (which should be 'use') and 'aircrafts' (which is an uncountable noun in this context). Subject-verb agreement and article usage are generally accurate, but the sentence structure occasionally feels slightly clunky. The errors present do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. More variety in complex sentence structures would be beneficial.

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