Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-27
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 information provided in the given diagram illustrates the process that how bio-fuel also known as ethanol production is made.
Overall, it is quite evident from the diagram that the whole process of ethanol production is consist of 8 primary stages, staring with trees planting and ending with microbes addition with sugars. Meanwhile the process is recycling throught carbon dioxide in air.
Initially, a special kind of trees is cultivating by the former's, in a particular season. After some years the planted trees are harvesting through tractors, for further process. Next the harvested plants are pre-processed by a special type of machinery. Moreover the pre-processed materials are pass away for cellulose, then these items are further processed in laboratories to ready it for the next up coming stage. After the fifth step, the laboratory work is finished and move to add some sugars with it. Finally, in the last stage a microbes had added with previous made materials. consequently at the end the ethanol is ready for public used, which is mostly used in motorcars, trucks, and air plans. These vehicles produce carbon dioxide, and these carbons are move in the air on the top of the weathers, and finally reached to plants, which is more beneficial gas for these plant.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main stages of the ethanol production process, but it lacks precision in describing the technical steps. While the overview mentions 8 stages, the description of these stages is somewhat vague, using phrases like 'special kind of trees' and 'special type of machinery' rather than identifying the specific inputs or processes shown in the diagram. The summary of the recycling aspect is included, but the explanation of the final stage is slightly inaccurate regarding the role of microbes. To improve, focus on accurately reporting the specific technical details provided in the diagram rather than using generic descriptions.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into three paragraphs, which is a reasonable structure. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing and mechanical use of cohesive devices. For instance, 'Meanwhile the process is recycling throught carbon dioxide' and 'consequently at the end' feel forced. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'these items' or 'previous made materials', which makes the flow of the process harder to follow. Improving the variety and naturalness of linking words would help the text read more smoothly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are several instances of incorrect word choice or non-standard collocations, such as 'cultivating by the former's' (farmers), 'pass away' (passed on), and 'air plans' (airplanes). Additionally, the use of 'ready it' is grammatically informal. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more precise technical terminology related to industrial processes and ensure that word forms are used correctly in context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('process... is consist of'), incorrect verb tenses ('a microbes had added'), and awkward passive constructions ('trees is cultivating'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on consistent verb tense usage and subject-verb agreement will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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