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 illustrates the production of a biofuel called ethanol in a cyclical manner.

Overall, there are few different stages in the production of ethanol, with natural phenomenon, using of machinery and chemical procedures.

Firstly, plants and trees need energy, such as sunlight and carbon dioxide, to grow up. Then, they are harvested by a man-driven tractor. Following that, the harvested foliage is gone through a machine for pre-processing. Then, the resulting products are converted into cellulose. After that, the cellulose is sent to a laboratory procedure, where it is converted into sugars. Later, some microbes are added into the sugars.

As a result, ethanol is produced and ready to use. In different types of vehicles, such as cars, tracks, and airplanes, ethanol is used to run them. The transports release carbon dioxide when they are used. Thus, carbon dioxide spreads into the atmosphere, which is then taken by plants and trees. In this way. the process is repeated and continues.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all stages of the ethanol production process, from the growth of plants to the final usage in vehicles. The main features are identified, and the cyclical nature of the process is correctly highlighted. However, the description is somewhat mechanical, listing steps sequentially without fully synthesising the information or highlighting the most significant stages. To reach a higher band, you should aim to group related steps more effectively and provide a more analytical overview that captures the essence of the process rather than just narrating each step.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organised, following the chronological order of the diagram. Paragraphing is used to separate the production process from the usage and recycling phase. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Following that', 'After that', and 'As a result' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel repetitive or mechanical. The use of 'In this way' at the start of a sentence is slightly awkward. Improving the variety of linking phrases and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the flow and coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing for a clear description of the process. You use relevant terms like 'cellulose', 'microbes', and 'atmosphere'. However, there are some inaccuracies and unnatural collocations, such as 'natural phenomenon' (which is vague here), 'man-driven tractor' (which is slightly awkward), and 'tracks' (likely meaning 'trucks'). The range is sufficient to convey the meaning, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Expanding your repertoire of process-related verbs and nouns would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors. For instance, 'using of machinery' should be 'the use of machinery', 'grow up' is unnecessary in this context, and 'is gone through a machine' is passive voice used incorrectly. There are also minor punctuation issues, such as the period after 'In this way.' which should be a comma. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score.

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

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