Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-23

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 the brief explanation of how a bioenergy called ethanol uses by automobiles and other machines is created.

This diagram shows a cycle of how an ethanol is produced and how a carbon dioxide released by automobiles is then used by forests, plants and different kind of trees. It illustrates that these plants are then harvest by farmers of the certain area and procced these harvested plants into a machine which then results in the production of cellulose.

Cellulose furthermore, processed in different laboratories and results in the formation of sugars which later converted into Ethanol. Ethanol is then used by different automobiles like cars, bikes, trains and different kind of machines that uses engines to perform, as an energy source and results in the production of carbon dioxide.

Overall, this cycle illustrates how a gas is released by automobiles by using ethanol is then later results in the production of ethanol.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the ethanol production cycle, from plant growth to consumption by vehicles. However, the description is somewhat superficial. The process is presented as a simple narrative rather than a technical summary of a diagram. Key details, such as the specific transformation of cellulose into sugar and the role of the fermentation/distillation process (if implied by the diagram), are missing or oversimplified. While the main features are identified, the lack of precise terminology and the failure to clearly highlight the cyclical nature of the process limit the score. The overview is present but lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into an introduction, body, and conclusion, which provides a basic structure. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally repetitive (e.g., 'different kind of', 'results in'). The transition between the stages of the cycle is functional but lacks sophistication. Paragraphing is used, but the body paragraphs are quite short and could be better integrated to show the logical flow of the cycle. Referencing is generally clear, but the overall flow feels slightly disjointed due to the repetitive sentence structures.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. There is significant repetition of phrases such as 'different kind of' and 'results in'. Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'procced' (likely a misspelling of 'processed') and 'bioenergy called ethanol uses by automobiles'. The range of vocabulary is limited to basic descriptive terms, and there is little evidence of less common lexical items or idiomatic collocations related to industrial or biological processes. Improving the range of verbs and nouns used to describe technical cycles would significantly enhance the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but accuracy is inconsistent. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'a bioenergy called ethanol uses by automobiles' (should be 'used by'), 'these plants are then harvest' (should be 'harvested'), and 'a carbon dioxide' (should be 'carbon dioxide' as it is an uncountable noun). Subject-verb agreement and article usage are frequent areas of error. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors prevent the text from reaching a higher band. A greater focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy is recommended.

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

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