Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-26

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 a biofuel called ethanol is produced from 1st stage to final stage.

Overall, the process consist of several stages, beginning with plants and trees grow from the energy(sunlight and carbon dioxide) and ending with ethanol production.

Initially, plants and trees grow. Moreover harvesting process is starts. Then the cutting crops go pre processing machine and grind crops into little pieces. In next stage cellulose turn into a processing phase where they form in a sugars. Furthermore microbes adds in sugars and produce ethanol.

Then ethanol is use in cars, buses, and in planes as well. The machine also produce carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide is also source of energy and this source of energy is use in the growth of plants and trees. The cycle begins again from scratch.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you have identified the main stages of the ethanol production process, the description is quite brief and lacks the necessary detail to fully develop the report. You have successfully identified the cyclical nature of the process, but the lack of length prevents a thorough overview. To improve, ensure you expand on each stage by describing the specific actions or transformations in more detail, such as the specific inputs or outputs at each phase, to ensure you comfortably exceed the word count minimum.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into a logical sequence, following the stages of the diagram. However, the paragraphing is insufficient; the entire body of the report is contained within one paragraph, which hinders the flow. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Initially', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore', they are sometimes used mechanically or incorrectly (e.g., 'In next stage'). The progression of ideas is clear, but the lack of paragraph structure and the repetitive nature of the sentence starters make the text feel somewhat disjointed. Using a wider variety of linking phrases and separating the overview from the process details would improve the structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You rely on simple verbs like 'grow', 'go', 'turn', and 'adds'. There is little attempt to use more precise, academic vocabulary related to industrial processes (e.g., 'fermentation', 'conversion', 'by-product'). Phrases like 'from scratch' are too informal for an Academic Task 1 report. To reach a higher band, focus on using more subject-specific terminology and varying your word choices to describe the actions more accurately and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly regarding subject-verb agreement and article usage. For example, 'process consist' should be 'process consists', and 'microbes adds' should be 'microbes are added'. There are also issues with sentence structure, such as 'harvesting process is starts' and 'cellulose turn into a processing phase where they form in a sugars'. The range of structures is limited to simple sentences, with few attempts at complex or compound structures. Improving your control over basic grammar and increasing the variety of sentence types will significantly enhance your score.

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

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