Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The diagram presents how biofuel known as ethanol is produced.

Overall, it can be seen that there are several stages involved in manufacturing ethanol. However, there are two main stages which are the manual and chemical stages. From the initial derivation of energy from plants and trees to the final utilization in vehicles and airplanes.

Firstly, the manual process starts when plants and trees grow with the help of energy derived from sunlight and carbon dioxide. Next, while the plants are harvested, it is transported and taken to the machine for pre-processing.

Meanwhile, the chemical stage begins when the processed plants turns to cellulose which are taken to the laboratory for further processing. After that, the product then turns to sugar which microbes are added to form ethanol. The ethanol also called biofuel is then used in airplanes and vehicles such as trucks and cars. In addition, they produce greenhouse gases which is then absorbed back by plants and trees and the cycle continues.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main stages of the ethanol production process, from the growth of plants to the final usage and recycling of greenhouse gases. However, the description is somewhat superficial. For instance, the transition from 'processed plants' to 'cellulose' and then to 'sugar' is mentioned, but the specific mechanisms (like the use of enzymes or heat) are omitted, which are key features of such diagrams. The overview is present but could be more analytical regarding the cyclical nature of the process. To reach a higher band, ensure that all key stages are described with sufficient detail to provide a complete summary of the information provided in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Next', 'Meanwhile', and 'In addition' are used to guide the reader through the process. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'processed plants turns to cellulose which are taken to the laboratory', where the relative pronoun usage is slightly awkward. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the manual and chemical stages, which helps the overall flow of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using terms like 'biofuel', 'harvested', 'cellulose', and 'greenhouse gases'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'manual and chemical stages' is a slightly imprecise way to describe the process, and 'turns to' is a bit simplistic. There is also a subject-verb agreement error with 'cellulose which are taken' (should be 'is taken'). The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors. For instance, 'processed plants turns to' should be 'processed plants turn to', and 'greenhouse gases which is then absorbed' should be 'are then absorbed'. Additionally, the sentence 'From the initial derivation... to the final utilization...' is a fragment as it lacks a main verb. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score in this criterion.

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

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