Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-02

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 6.5)

The process diagram illustrates the method of production of biofuel known as ethanol.

Overall, its a cyclic process consists of several stages such as harvesting, pre-processing, processing and production. The cycle starts with the harvesting of plants and trees which grows from sunlight and carbon dioxide. The process end with the production of end product ethanol which provides carbon dioxide which is used for plants and trees growth.

Initially, energy which contains sunlight and carbon dioxide is used for the growth of plants and trees. Once the crops have matured, they are harvested and transported to the pre-processing facility. The second step is the processing of harvested crops in pre-processing and cellulose is formed. The next step is the processing of cellulose which than breaks down into sugar, after that microbes are added to sugar and the final by product ethanol is formed. Ethanol then provide carbon dioxide which is used in transportation purposes. The vehicles then releases this carbon dioxide in atmosphere which is then again used for growth of plants and trees.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all stages of the ethanol production process, from the growth of plants to the final release of carbon dioxide. The main features are identified and the cyclic nature of the process is highlighted. However, the description of the final stage is slightly inaccurate; the diagram indicates that the carbon dioxide released from vehicles is used for plant growth, whereas your text suggests the ethanol itself provides the carbon dioxide for transportation. This minor misinterpretation of the flow slightly affects the clarity of the summary. Overall, the response is well-structured and addresses the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized, moving chronologically through the stages of the process. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction/overview from the detailed process description. Cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'Once', 'The second step', and 'The next step' are used to guide the reader through the sequence. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing of the cycle could be more sophisticated. Nevertheless, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using relevant terms such as 'harvesting', 'pre-processing', 'cellulose', and 'microbes'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'end product ethanol' (should be 'the end product, ethanol') and 'provide carbon dioxide' (should be 'releases' or 'emits'). There is also a minor error in 'by product' (should be 'by-product'). While the range is sufficient to convey the process, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('its a cyclic process consists of', 'plants and trees which grows', 'Ethanol then provide') and confusion between 'than' and 'then'. Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure is occasionally repetitive. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of relative clauses would significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

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