Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-20
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 cyclical process through which ethanol biofuel is produced from plants and trees through several stages.
Overall, the production of ethanol biofuel is based on several steps like harvesting and processing of different materials. Greenhouse gases, and sunlight play a vital role in the production of ethanol biofuel. This fuel is used in our vehicles to cover long distances and there are also so many other significant uses of it.
The primary step for the production of ethanol biofuel is to grow the plants and trees and then harvest them. The harvested material then steps on which is pre-processing and then convert that pre- processed material into cellulose to make sugars and then microbes are added into the produced sugar, and like this ethanol biofuel get ready to use.
After the production of the ethanol biofuel, producers transfer that fuel for vehicles into the fuel agencies from where people bring that fuel for their vehicles and use it to run them.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response provides a basic overview of the process, but it fails to adequately describe the technical stages shown in the diagram. While it mentions harvesting and pre-processing, it lacks detail regarding the specific chemical or mechanical transformations (e.g., the role of cellulose, fermentation, or distillation). The inclusion of external information about 'greenhouse gases' and 'fuel agencies' is unnecessary and distracts from the data provided in the prompt. To improve, you should focus strictly on the visual information provided and describe the sequence of events more precisely, ensuring all key stages of the production cycle are clearly identified and explained.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'and then'. The logical flow between sentences is occasionally interrupted by awkward phrasing, such as 'The harvested material then steps on which is pre-processing'. To achieve a higher band, try to use a wider variety of linking words and transition phrases (e.g., 'subsequently', 'following this', 'once the material has been processed') to create a more natural and sophisticated progression of ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a technical description. Phrases like 'get ready to use' and 'bring that fuel' are too informal for an Academic Task 1 report. There is also a reliance on basic verbs. To improve, you should incorporate more precise, topic-specific terminology related to industrial processes, such as 'conversion', 'fermentation', 'distillation', or 'raw materials'. Using more academic collocations will help elevate the tone of your writing and demonstrate a stronger command of the language.
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 make the text difficult to follow. For example, 'The harvested material then steps on which is pre-processing' is syntactically incorrect. There are also issues with article usage and verb tense consistency. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed with correct relative clauses will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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