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 how the type of biofuel, which is called ethanol produced.

Overall, ethanol is produced by plants and trees through many stages of processing; then cars, trucks, and planes use it as their fuel, and those vehicles emit carbon dioxide into the environment.

Plants and trees use sunlight and carbon dioxide to grow. People harvest trees from forests to them to get through the pre-processing stage of ethanol production. After pre-processing of the tree, they will separate into the small piece of particle, which are named cellulose. The cellulose become sugars after the processing stage of ethanol production. Then sugars are added with types of microbes, and it will turn to ethanol.

People use ethanol as fuel for their vehicles like cars, trucks, and planes. Those kinds of vehicles use ethanol and emit a high amount of carbon dioxide into the environment, as their main ingredient of the photosynthesis of tree. It is like the chain.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the process, from the growth of plants to the final emission of carbon dioxide. However, the description is somewhat simplistic and lacks a clear, analytical overview of the cyclical nature of the process. While the main features are identified, the explanation of the 'pre-processing' and 'processing' stages is a bit vague. To reach a higher band, you should focus on clearly linking the stages as a continuous cycle and ensuring that technical terms are used with greater precision to accurately reflect the provided diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'then' and 'after' are used frequently to link sentences, which makes the flow feel a bit basic. The referencing is generally clear, but the transition between the production of ethanol and its use in vehicles could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and using more sophisticated referencing would enhance the overall flow and coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range expected at higher levels. You use general terms like 'small piece of particle' and 'types of microbes', which are not very descriptive. There is also some awkward phrasing, such as 'harvest trees from forests to them to get through'. To improve, try to use more specific terminology related to industrial processes, such as 'break down', 'fermentation', or 'raw materials', and ensure that your word choices are more natural and contextually appropriate.

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 hinder clarity. For example, the opening sentence 'how the type of biofuel, which is called ethanol produced' is grammatically incomplete. Other issues include missing articles and awkward verb constructions, such as 'they will separate into the small piece'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and sentence construction will be beneficial.

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

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