Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-07

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 image illustrates the production of a biofuel named ethanol.

Overall, The cycle takes about 9 steps in the production of ethanol. The production of ethanol includes the combination of both natural and synthetic materials or machine in its production. The production initiated from nature and ends in nature.

Initially, Energy (Sun and carbon dioxide) from plant and trees are harvested with a farm tractor, through the harvesting process, and it’s now pre-processed to cellulose before its major processing takes place in a Factory.

At the 5th step, it is processed to sugar, and microbes are added to form Ethanol. Ethanol is used by most transportation systems, if not all , this includes Cars, lorries and even aircraft. When they are being used in these transportation means, combustion occurs, which send carbon dioxide back to the atmosphere, which is now absorbed by plants and crops, which helps in starting the cycle of ethanol production over again.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the ethanol production cycle, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. While the overview mentions the cycle, it fails to clearly highlight the key features of the process, such as the specific inputs and the transformation stages. The description is somewhat vague, particularly in the middle stages, where it refers to 'major processing' without detailing the specific steps shown in the diagram. To improve, you should focus on clearly identifying the sequence of events and using the data provided in the diagram to support your summary, rather than providing a general narrative.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'The production of'. The transition between the steps is clear enough to follow, but the logical flow could be improved by using more varied linking words to connect the stages of the cycle. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall structure feels a bit disjointed due to the lack of sophisticated signposting.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety needed for a higher score. You use basic terms like 'things', 'machine', and 'nature' which are not specific enough for an academic report. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'production initiated from nature'. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise technical vocabulary related to industrial processes, such as 'conversion', 'fermentation', or 'raw materials', and ensure that your word choices are more formal and contextually appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. For example, 'Energy (Sun and carbon dioxide) from plant and trees are harvested' contains a subject-verb agreement error. Additionally, there are issues with punctuation and capitalization, such as 'Overall, The cycle'. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors limits the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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