Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-14

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 process of biofuel called ethanol.

Overall, this production process carries about 7 stages, Where it starts with plants and trees which are harvested and ends with chemical process for production. Although it is also a recycling process where biological science play significant role in ethanol production process.

The first step is that energies like sunlight and carbon benefits plants and trees to grow then harvested by farmers. Once this harvesting process is completed, pre processing machine converts the harvested materiel into cellulose. Next the chemical process begins where cellulose is converted to sugars with scientific chemical experiment. Lastly, microbes are added to sugars and ethanol produced.

Now recycle process begins where ethanol is used for different types of transport vehicles where they release carbon dioxide. With this phrase, carbon dioxide benefits plants and trees to grow with the help of sunlight and the process repeats to produce ethanol.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the ethanol production process, from the growth of plants to the final use of the fuel. However, the description is somewhat superficial. For example, the mention of 'scientific chemical experiment' is vague and does not accurately reflect the technical nature of the process shown in the diagram (such as fermentation or distillation). While the main features are identified, the response lacks a clear, analytical overview that synthesizes the cycle effectively. The inclusion of the recycling aspect is a positive feature, but the overall development of the stages is limited, preventing a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as 'With this phrase' to transition between paragraphs, which does not fit the context. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. While the progression of the process is generally logical, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the repetitive structure of the sentences limit the effectiveness of the cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are several instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'energies like sunlight' (sunlight is a source of energy, not energy itself) and 'scientific chemical experiment' (which is not a standard term for industrial processes). Spelling errors like 'materiel' (instead of 'material') also occur. The range of vocabulary is limited to basic terms, and there is little attempt to use more sophisticated or technical language related to the biofuel production process.

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 impede clarity. For instance, 'Where it starts with plants' is a sentence fragment, and 'biological science play significant role' lacks the necessary article and verb agreement. Additionally, there are issues with punctuation and capitalization, such as the unnecessary capitalization of 'Where'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents the response from reaching a higher band.

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

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