Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-01
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 the ethanol is produced by the process which a type of biofuel, is coming from the plants and trees and how carbon dioxide is recycled during the process.
Overall, the production of ethanol involves several steps, beginning with the gowth and harvesting plants and trees and ending with a ethanol as a fuel. A key feature of the process is carbon dioxide is releases by the vehicles and that can be used by plants, making this process cyclical.
Initially, plants and trees grow by using the sunlight inaddition carbon dioxide as a source of energy. Once they grow the farmer harvest the plants and it undegoes to pre-processing. After they are converted to cellulose using this done processing and subsequently produced sugars.
In the next stage, microbes are added to the sugars, leading to produce the ethanol. The ethanol is used in most of transportations are like fuels. While the vehicels are running in the roads they can release carbon dioxode. Finally, carbon dioxide are again used for the plants and trees to grow as a source of energy. This cycle will done again and again.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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 plant growth to the final combustion and recycling of carbon dioxide. The overview is clear and identifies the cyclical nature of the process. However, the description of the stages is somewhat simplistic. For instance, the transition from 'pre-processing' to 'cellulose' and then to 'sugars' is described in a slightly confusing manner, lacking technical precision regarding the conversion steps. While all key features are mentioned, the explanation of the chemical or mechanical transformations could be more detailed to fully satisfy the requirements for a higher band. The report is accurate in its summary of the provided diagram.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is logically organized into four paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. There is a clear progression from the initial growth phase to the final usage and recycling. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Initially', 'In the next stage', and 'Finally', which help to link the ideas together. However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'inaddition carbon dioxide' and 'using this done processing'. The referencing is generally clear, though the flow between sentences could be smoother. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the information is presented in a logical sequence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the process clearly. There are some attempts at using topic-specific vocabulary like 'biofuel', 'cellulose', and 'microbes'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and minor errors, such as 'gowth' (spelling), 'undegoes to pre-processing' (incorrect collocation), and 'transportations are like fuels'. The range is sufficient to convey the meaning, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band. The repetition of basic verbs like 'grow' and 'use' also limits the lexical variety.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'the ethanol is produced by the process which a type of biofuel, is coming from', 'carbon dioxide is releases', and 'carbon dioxide are again used'. These errors involve subject-verb agreement, article usage, and awkward clause construction. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the response from reaching a higher band. More attention to sentence structure and proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy is needed.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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