Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 show how ethanol is produced from plants and trees. It also shows the role of carbon dioxide in this process.

Overall, the process have many stages and it is a circular process. It start with growing plants and finish when ethanol is used by different vehicles. Carbon dioxide is produced by vehicles and then it is used again for growing plants.

First, plants and trees grows with the help of sunlight and carbon dioxide. When they are ready, they are harvest by machines. After this, the plants go to pre-processing where they changed into cellulose. The cellulose is then taken to processing stage and it become sugars.

Next, microbes is added to the sugars and ethanol is produced. The ethanol can then used by different transport, including cars, trucks and airplanes. When these vehicles uses ethanol, carbon dioxide are produced and released. This carbon dioxide goes back to the plants and help them to grow. Also, some carbon dioxide is shown from the processing stages. In this way, the process can continue again and again.

Overall, ethanol production is a long process with many different stages before it become useful as a fuel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all key stages of the ethanol production process, from the growth of plants to the final use of fuel. You have successfully identified the circular nature of the process, which is a crucial feature. However, the description is somewhat basic. To reach a higher band, you should aim to group the stages more effectively and provide a more analytical overview. For instance, you could explicitly contrast the biological growth phase with the industrial processing phase. While the main features are reported, the development of these points is a bit repetitive, and the summary could be more concise to avoid listing every single step in a linear fashion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. You use basic cohesive devices like 'First', 'Next', and 'After this' to signal the sequence of events. While these are functional, they are somewhat mechanical. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect ideas more fluidly. For example, instead of starting every sentence with a time marker, you could use relative clauses or participle phrases to combine steps. The overall progression is clear, but the paragraphing could be more sophisticated to better distinguish between the growth, processing, and consumption phases.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the process, such as 'cellulose', 'microbes', and 'circular process'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, you wrote 'they are harvest by machines' (should be 'harvested') and 'the plants go to pre-processing where they changed' (should be 'are changed'). These errors do not impede communication, but they limit the score. To move up, focus on using more precise verbs and ensuring that your word forms (nouns vs. verbs) are consistently accurate throughout the text.

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 subject-verb agreement and verb forms. Examples include 'The diagram show' (shows), 'the process have' (has), 'plants and trees grows' (grow), and 'microbes is added' (are added). Additionally, there are issues with passive voice construction, such as 'The ethanol can then used' (can then be used). While these errors are noticeable, they rarely prevent the reader from understanding the process. Increasing your control over basic grammatical rules will significantly improve your score.

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

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