Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The diagram illustrates the information about how biofuel is manufactured which is called ethanol.

Overall, there are few stages in this diagram. Start with energy which is came from sunlight and carbondioxide and there are several process need to make ethanol and end up with supplies in many diffrent transportation sectors.

To comence with, plants and trees grows which energy came from sunlight and carbondioxide. At the second step the trees and plants harvesting in a pre-processing machine wich is produced cellulose. After finishing this stage , going to a lab and mixing some chemical which helps in creating sugars.

Additionally, after done with the stage of producing sugars, microbes added and finally ethanol created. Lastly, there are several kinds of uses of ethanol in many transportation sectors such as airplane, truck, and private cars. Last but not least, the vehicles emit the carbon dioxide gas in the air and trees assist recycle process again.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the ethanol production process, from the growth of plants to the final use in vehicles. However, the description is somewhat superficial and lacks precision. For example, the mention of 'a lab' and 'mixing some chemical' is vague and does not accurately reflect the technical nature of the process shown in the diagram (e.g., pre-treatment, hydrolysis, fermentation). While the main features are identified, the lack of detail in describing the chemical/biological transformations limits the development of the response. The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the cyclical nature of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of the process. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'To comence with' and 'Additionally, after done with the stage'. Some transitions feel forced, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the phrase 'Start with energy which is came from sunlight'. While there is an overall logical flow, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the repetitive structure of the sentences hinder the fluidity of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'things', 'stage', and 'process'. There are several inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'energy which is came from sunlight' (should be 'derived from') and 'trees assist recycle process' (should be 'facilitate the recycling process'). The student attempts to use some technical terms like 'cellulose' and 'microbes', but the overall range is insufficient to convey the information with precision. Spelling errors, such as 'diffrent' and 'comence', also detract from the quality of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb forms and tense consistency, such as 'trees and plants harvesting' (should be 'are harvested') and 'microbes added' (should be 'are added'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after commas and incorrect capitalization. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction and the lack of complex structures prevent the response from reaching a higher band score.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.