Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-11

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 describes the method of how biofuel known as ethanol is produced.

Starting from the planting tress or doing agriculture which includes energies like sunlight and carbon dioxide, which is further harvested with the helps of machines and techniques, then the next step is the pre-processing of that harvested crops in which crops are separated with the help of machines, next that pre-processed seeds are significantly that are collected and cellulose is made for the further step which is processing in which chemical is made and by that sugars is made and then microbes are being added which is the last step and then it is made available to the end users which are vehicles like car, trucks and planes and further by that carbon dioxide is produced by all that vehicles.

Overall, there are total 8 steps starting from growing plants and trees to make ethanol made available to the end users.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the ethanol production process, from agriculture to end-use. However, the description is somewhat superficial. While it identifies the key steps, it lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band. For instance, the transition between 'cellulose' and 'sugars' is described vaguely as 'chemical is made', which misses the technical detail provided in the diagram. The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the cyclical nature of the process (e.g., the role of carbon dioxide). To improve, focus on grouping the stages logically rather than listing them in a single, long sentence.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response suffers from a lack of paragraphing, consisting of one long, run-on sentence for the main body. This makes the text difficult to follow. While there are some cohesive devices used, such as 'Starting from', 'next', and 'Overall', they are used mechanically. The progression of ideas is hindered by the lack of sentence boundaries, which forces the reader to parse a dense block of text. To improve, you should divide the process into logical stages (e.g., cultivation, processing, and distribution) and use clear sentence structures to separate these distinct phases.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. You rely on repetitive phrasing such as 'is made' and 'with the help of'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'planting tress' (should be 'planting trees') and 'doing agriculture'. The use of 'end users' is appropriate, but the overall range is limited. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more specific process-related vocabulary, such as 'cultivation', 'fermentation', 'conversion', or 'emissions', to describe the stages and the final output more accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The grammatical structure is the weakest area of this response. The main body paragraph is essentially one giant, run-on sentence, which leads to significant issues with punctuation and clarity. There are frequent errors in subject-verb agreement, such as 'sugars is made' and 'all that vehicles'. The use of passive voice is attempted but often results in clumsy phrasing, such as 'microbes are being added which is the last step and then it is made available'. To improve, focus on writing shorter, grammatically complete sentences and ensure that plural nouns agree with their corresponding verbs.

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

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