Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-17

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 6.0)

The diagram displays the step by step process of a biofuel production known as ethanol.

Overall, the whole process goes through rigorous stages before turning into ethanol that are used in various vehicles, which starts with plantation of trees and harvesting them to processing in a lap into sugars with added microbes and ending with the produced co2 from different transports going back to the plants creating energy.

First of all, plants and trees are grown in a natural process from sunlight and carbon dioxide. Then when the trees are matured, they are harvested for pre-processing with the help of a machine, subsequently generating cellulose. Later on the lab tests start with these cellulose being processed in there chemically.

In the following stages, labs create sugars from the cellulose with added microbes which is basically the ethanol. They are used in different range of vehicles such as, cars, trucks and airplanes. These transports produce carbon dioxide, which naturally blends into the nature providing energy to the trees, repeating the whole biofuel production.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main stages of the ethanol production cycle, from plant growth to the final use in vehicles and the return of CO2. However, the description is somewhat generic and lacks precision. For instance, the transition from 'cellulose' to 'sugars' is described as 'processed in there chemically' without mentioning the specific conversion step shown in the diagram. While the main features are identified, the report would benefit from a more analytical approach to the sequence of events rather than a simple narrative summary. The overview is present but could be more clearly separated from the body paragraphs to highlight the cyclical nature of the process more effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'Then', 'Later on', and 'In the following stages' are used to guide the reader through the process. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as the phrase 'which is basically the ethanol' referring back to 'sugars', which is a slight oversimplification. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the progression of ideas is generally clear, though the connection between the final stage and the start of the cycle could be more explicitly linked.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'biofuel', 'cellulose', 'microbes', and 'harvested' used correctly. However, there are some inaccuracies and informal phrasing, such as 'processing in a lap' (likely meant 'lab') and 'blends into the nature'. The range is sufficient to convey the meaning, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band. The use of 'lap' instead of 'laboratory' and the slightly awkward phrasing regarding the CO2 cycle suggest a need for more precise technical terminology and better collocation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'ethanol that are used' (should be 'is used'), 'plantation of trees' (should be 'planting'), and 'these cellulose being processed' (should be 'this cellulose'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation issues, such as the unnecessary comma in 'such as, cars'. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. A greater focus on subject-verb agreement and article usage would improve the accuracy.

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

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