Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-18
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 determines the process of how biofuel known as ethanol is obtained.
In total, there are 8 stages to produce ethanol, starting from Energy that is sunlight with carbondioxide to added microbes. Finally, the resulted ethanol is further used by transport vehicles such as cars, trucks.
The main source of ethanol is energy which helps growing plants and trees. In second stage, the farmer start harvesting by using tractor for this transportation. The preprocessing is done by the equipment which produces useful particles called cellulose. The unwanted materials are removed in this preprocessing stage.
After cellulose is produced it processed further in the processing stage. The processing stage uses chemical equipments to get the required sugars. The sugars are described in chemical form in stage 7. In the end, the microbes are added to this form to get the ethanol.
after ethanol is produced, it is used by different transport vehicles such as cars, truck and aeroplanes, which again releases carbon dioxide into the air, and this cycle is repeated.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| 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 superficial. While you identify the key steps, the explanation of the chemical and mechanical processes is imprecise. For example, describing the 'processing stage' as using 'chemical equipments' is vague and does not accurately reflect the technical nature of the diagram. Furthermore, the overview is slightly inaccurate; the diagram shows a cycle, but your summary focuses heavily on the linear production steps. To improve, ensure you clearly distinguish between the biological and mechanical phases and provide a more accurate summary of the overall process flow.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'In second stage', 'After cellulose is produced', and 'In the end' are used to link ideas, but the flow between sentences is occasionally disjointed. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the phrase 'The sugars are described in chemical form in stage 7', which does not clearly relate to the visual information provided. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between the stages would enhance the coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band score. You rely on basic terms like 'useful particles', 'chemical equipments', and 'different transport vehicles'. There is an attempt to use technical terms like 'cellulose' and 'microbes', which is positive, but the overall range is limited. Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'The diagram determines the process', where 'illustrates' or 'depicts' would be more appropriate. To improve, focus on using more precise terminology related to industrial processes and scientific cycles.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the farmer start harvesting', 'by using tractor') and pluralisation ('cars, truck and aeroplanes'). Some sentences are awkward, such as 'The diagram determines the process of how biofuel known as ethanol is obtained.' While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall fluency. To reach a higher band, you should focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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