Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-25
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 process of producing ethanol.
Overall, there are several stages in the production of biofuel, such as ethanol, starting with growing plant and tress and ending with added microbes to the sugars.
To begin with, plants and tress are grown in the field and they recievd energy from sunlight and carbon dioxide gas, which is released from vehicles and airplane. After the maturity period, these plant and trees are harvested by tractor. Then, the harvested materials are pre-processed for making cellulose, which furthure processe in factory.
The cellulose is processed in the factory by using different kinds of chemical. For the subsequent stage, the processed material is converted into sugars. In the final stage, microbes are added to the sugar and finally the ethanol is made. This biofuel is futhure used in car, lorry, and aiplane and this vehicles produced carbon dioxide gas, which again facilitate the development of plants and trees.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main stages of the ethanol production process, from the growth of plants to the final usage. However, the description is somewhat superficial. While the prompt asks for a summary of the process, the explanation of the chemical and industrial stages is quite vague, merely stating 'different kinds of chemical' or 'processed in the factory' without detailing the specific steps shown in the diagram (such as the breakdown of cellulose into sugars). The overview is present but lacks a clear synthesis of the cyclical nature of the process. To improve, you should focus on describing the specific transformations shown in the diagram rather than using generic phrases.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'After', 'Then', and 'In the final stage' to sequence the information. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear. For example, the transition between the factory processing and the final usage could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for a process description, but the overall progression of ideas could be more sophisticated to achieve a higher band score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several spelling errors, such as 'tress' (trees), 'recievd' (received), 'furthure' (further), and 'futhure' (further). You rely on simple, repetitive language like 'processed' and 'made'. To reach a higher band, you need to use more specific terminology related to industrial processes, such as 'fermentation', 'conversion', or 'raw materials', and ensure that your spelling is accurate. The current range is sufficient to convey the basic meaning but does not demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands.
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 distract the reader. Examples include 'this vehicles produced' (these vehicles produce), 'added microbes to the sugars' (microbes are added to the sugars), and 'which furthure processe in factory' (which is further processed in the factory). Subject-verb agreement and tense consistency are areas that need significant attention. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from being considered highly accurate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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