Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-22

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 gives information about how ethanol is being produced. The whole chart give information about biofuel production plant.

The plant has main four stages of how ethanol produced. Firstly, energy is converted from sunlight and carbon dioxide and then it goes to plants and they are converted into trees. These trees are being harvested by human beings, they do the pre-process and after that converted into cellulose.

Furthermore, cellulose being processed in the factories, then it converts into sugar molecules, after that, microbes added in sugar molecules and then it become ethanol. This ethanol used into transportation like airplanes, buses, trucks, and cars. They use ethanol as a fuel and again it converts into carbon dioxide and whole process repeats again and again.

In conclusion, the whole production plan explains how ethanol is made and how it is used in everyday lifestyle. It has the four main features which is not very complicated process.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the ethanol production process, from the initial energy source to the final usage. However, the description is somewhat simplistic and lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band. For instance, the transition from 'sunlight and carbon dioxide' to 'trees' is a bit vague, and the report would benefit from a more precise description of the chemical or mechanical transformations shown in the diagram. While all stages are mentioned, the overview is quite basic and does not fully highlight the cyclical nature of the process as effectively as it could.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

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 'after that' and 'then' are used frequently, which makes the flow feel a bit stilted. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear; for example, 'they do the pre-process' lacks a clear antecedent for 'they'. While the overall progression is logical, the lack of varied linking words and occasional awkward transitions limits the score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range expected at higher levels. The student relies on basic verbs like 'made', 'used', and 'converted'. There is an attempt to use technical terms such as 'cellulose' and 'microbes', which is positive. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'everyday lifestyle' (which is not the most natural collocation for industrial processes) and 'production plan' instead of 'production process'. Expanding the range of synonyms and collocations would significantly improve the quality of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The whole chart give information', 'microbes added') and article usage (e.g., 'in the factories', 'into ethanol'). Some sentences are also missing necessary auxiliary verbs or prepositions, such as 'cellulose being processed' (should be 'cellulose is processed'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall fluency and accuracy of the text.

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

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