Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-05

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 demonstrates production of biofuel, ethanol from plant and trees following successive steps which is finally used by cars, trucks and planes.

Overall the process starts with harvesting trees, pre-proceesing and chemical reactions to produce ethanol, ethanol used in automobile causes emission of carbon dioxide which is again absorbed by plants completing the cycle finally.

Firstly harvested plant and tree woods are cut into small size chips in a pre-processing machine for easy extraction of cellulose, followed by chemical processing in lab with different reagents.Final step in the production of ethanol is addition of sugar to produce ethanol from preciously extracted cellulose. Produced ethanol is then ready to bes used in automobiles of all types planes, cars and trucks. However use of ethanol as biofuel has a downside: it emmits carbon dioxide from autombiles. This emission is transfered to environment, carried by air and moisture to be finally captured by plants and trees for their energy production with the help of sunlight which completes the cycle.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all stages of the ethanol production process, from harvesting to the final cycle of carbon dioxide absorption. You have successfully identified the main features and provided a clear overview. However, the description of the chemical process is slightly inaccurate; the diagram indicates that cellulose is converted into sugar before becoming ethanol, whereas your text suggests sugar is added to the cellulose. Additionally, the explanation of the cycle is a bit repetitive. To improve, ensure you strictly follow the sequence of the diagram and avoid adding external information or misinterpreting the technical steps provided in the visual prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized, moving from the production process to the usage and the environmental cycle. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'followed by', and 'However' to guide the reader. However, the paragraphing is insufficient; the entire body of the response is compressed into one large paragraph, which makes it harder to follow. To reach a higher band, you should use clear paragraph breaks to separate the production stages from the environmental impact cycle. Additionally, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother with more varied linking phrases.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'pre-processing', 'cellulose', and 'reagents'. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'pre-proceesing', 'emmits', 'autombiles', and 'transfered'. These errors are noticeable and detract from the professional tone of the report. Furthermore, some word choices are slightly imprecise, such as 'preciously' (likely meant 'previously') and 'lab'. To improve, focus on accuracy in spelling and use more precise academic vocabulary to describe the industrial processes shown in the diagram.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles (e.g., 'production of biofuel', 'in lab') and punctuation. Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'ethanol used in automobile causes emission of carbon dioxide which is again absorbed by plants completing the cycle finally.' The placement of commas and the structure of relative clauses need more attention to ensure clarity. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these minor errors prevents a higher score.

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

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