Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-04

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 diagram illustrates the process in the form of a cycle for the manufacturing of ethanol.

Overall, the process starts from the growing of trees and ends at the consumption of ethanol in transportation before the cycle begins again. It mainly consists of three main stages: growing plants and trees for ethanol, then getting ethanol through a chemical process, and in the last stage, that ethanol is used in vehicles.

Firstly, plants and trees are grown by farmers, and when they become mature, they are harvested. Then, trees pass through a preprocessing stage to convert them into tiny fragments. Cellulose is extracted from tiny fragments for the making of ethanol. In the chemical process, cellulose is passed through different chemical processes that extract the right sugars from it. After sugar extraction, microbes are added to convert the chemical into useful fuel: ethanol.

In the end, the ethanol is used in different vehicles for consumption. Carbon dioxide is emitted from vehicles in the form of smoke in the air, which again becomes part of the environment. Trees inhale carbon dioxide from the air, and the cycle for the production of ethanol restarts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all stages of the ethanol production cycle. You have identified the main features, such as the harvesting, preprocessing, chemical conversion, and final consumption. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the process. To reach a higher band, ensure you explicitly mention the cyclical nature of the carbon dioxide absorption by the trees, which is a key feature of the diagram. The information is well-selected, and the logical flow of the process is accurately represented, meeting the requirements for a clear and comprehensive summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, moving chronologically through the stages of the cycle. You use cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Then', 'After', and 'In the end' to link sentences effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different phases of the process. The referencing is clear, and the overall structure supports the reader's understanding of the diagram without any confusion or mechanical repetition.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'manufacturing', 'preprocessing', 'cellulose', and 'emitted'. The language is generally accurate and appropriate for a process description. To improve, try to incorporate more precise technical collocations or slightly more sophisticated synonyms to avoid repetition of words like 'process' and 'trees'. For instance, instead of 'getting ethanol', you could use 'synthesizing' or 'producing'. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning clearly throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically accurate, and errors are rare and do not impede communication. For example, 'Trees inhale carbon dioxide from the air, and the cycle for the production of ethanol restarts' is a well-constructed compound sentence. You have good control over punctuation and verb tenses, which are crucial for describing a continuous cycle. To aim for a higher band, try to vary your sentence beginnings further and incorporate more complex structures, such as passive voice constructions, to describe the chemical stages.

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

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