Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-04

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 production of biofuel, also known as ethanol. The process consists of 8 main steps. The process starts from the harvesting of plants and trees and ends on the emission of carbon dioxide from the vehicles that runs on ethanol.

The first step is that energy such as sunlight and carbon dioxide is spread on plants and trees which helps them to grow. Once the plants and trees have grown sufficiently, they are harvested by farmers with the help of tractors. After this stage, the harvested plants are brought to factories where they undergo a process and After the pre-processing, the resulting material, cellulose, is obtained.

Next, the cellulose is further processed in to the labs and after by adding chemicals, the sugar comes out. Moreover, microbes are added into the sugar to produce ethanol. After the production of ethanol, it is added to vehicles such as cars, trucks and planes where the ethanol drives their engine. In return, the automobile's exhaust emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all stages of the process, from harvesting to carbon dioxide emission. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview of the process as a whole. While the main features are identified, the response would benefit from a more analytical approach, such as grouping the stages into logical phases (e.g., cultivation, processing, and utilization). The summary is accurate, but it lacks the synthesis required for a higher band, as it reads more like a list of steps rather than a cohesive report on the production cycle.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized with a clear progression from the start to the end of the process. Paragraphing is used, though the second paragraph is quite long and could have been split to improve readability. Cohesive devices such as 'The first step', 'After this stage', 'Next', and 'Moreover' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly repetitive, and the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking phrases to connect the stages more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate for the task, using terms like 'harvested', 'cellulose', 'microbes', and 'atmosphere'. However, the range is somewhat limited and relies on basic phrasing. There are minor issues with word choice, such as 'spread on plants' (which is imprecise) and 'the sugar comes out' (which is informal). To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise technical vocabulary related to industrial processes and avoid overly simplistic verbs.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'emission of carbon dioxide from the vehicles that runs on ethanol' (subject-verb agreement error: 'run'), 'processed in to the labs' (unnecessary preposition), and 'After the pre-processing, the resulting material, cellulose, is obtained' (awkward phrasing). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. More attention to subject-verb agreement and preposition usage is needed.

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

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