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 diagram illustrates how ethanol is produced at a large scale commercially.
Overall, the entire cycle is complicated and lengthy, which has been passed through several steps to make biofuel from natural process of releasing carbon dioxide by plants and then follow process in industrial level.
Initially, released carbon dioxide through plants, trees,cars and other vehicles is used to make boifuel. After harvesting the plants and sugarcane, pre-processor machines cut them into small chunks and break down its hard celloulose. After breaking down, chemical composition has been taken place in labatories
After going through chemical process, compounds of sugar has been prepared and futher microbes are added to produce ethanol, which further changed into carbon dioxide when released by various vehicles in the atmosphere and such as cars, trucks and aeroplanes and again follow the same steps to produce more biogas after harvesting plants that are primary source of carbon emission.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main stages of the ethanol production process, but the description is somewhat inaccurate and lacks clarity. For instance, the claim that carbon dioxide is 'used to make biofuel' is a misinterpretation of the diagram, which shows plants absorbing CO2 through photosynthesis. The explanation of the industrial process is vague, particularly regarding the 'chemical composition' stage. While the main features are identified, the lack of precision in describing the cycle and the misrepresentation of the biological inputs prevent a higher score. To improve, ensure you accurately describe the relationship between the stages shown in the diagram rather than adding external, incorrect information.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into a brief introduction and two body paragraphs, which provides a basic structure. However, the progression of ideas is often confusing. The use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes inappropriate, such as the repetitive use of 'further' and 'and'. The transition between the biological cycle and the industrial process is abrupt, making the overall flow difficult to follow. Paragraphing is present but the internal logic within the paragraphs is weak, as the sentences do not always connect in a meaningful way to describe the process clearly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and contains several inaccuracies. Words like 'labatories' (spelling error) and 'boifuel' (spelling error) detract from the quality of the writing. The phrasing is often awkward, such as 'chemical composition has been taken place', which is not a standard collocation. While the student attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'harvesting', 'microbes', and 'cellulose', the overall range is narrow and the errors in word choice and spelling are frequent enough to occasionally impede the reader's understanding of the technical process.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response relies on a mix of simple and complex structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'the entire cycle is complicated and lengthy, which has been passed through several steps' and 'compounds of sugar has been prepared'. The use of articles and prepositions is often incorrect, and the sentence structure is frequently clunky, making the text difficult to read. While the meaning is generally discernible, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction limits the score in this criterion.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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