Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-07
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 digram shows that how ethanol is being produced from plants and trees also it produces carbon dioxide which returns to trees.
Overall, the process starts with consuming energy from environment to plants moving forward to different phases and later on produces carbon dioxide to air.
Firstly, the trees and plants get sunlight and carbon dioxide as a source of energy from environment after this the trees got harvested and placed it in the phase of pre-processing by various means of transport. In the pre-processing the material is converted to small particles from which it leads to produce cellulose.
Cellulose is further processed in industries to make sugars. In sugars microbes are added to process ethanol. The obtained ethanol is then being used in various means of transports like cars, tractors, airplanes etc. These transports emit carbon dioxide back in air from which the process again started to make fuel from trees.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response provides a basic overview of the ethanol production process, identifying the main stages from plant growth to fuel usage. However, the description is somewhat superficial. While you mention the main features, you fail to highlight the cyclical nature of the process effectively or provide a detailed breakdown of the technical stages (such as the specific conversion of cellulose to sugar). The summary is accurate but lacks the depth required for a higher band, as it reads more like a list of steps rather than a cohesive report of a complex industrial process. To improve, ensure you clearly distinguish between the biological and industrial phases of the diagram.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'after this', and 'further processed' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, though the connection between the final stage and the start of the cycle could be more explicitly stated to improve the overall progression. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, overview, and body stages, which is a positive feature of your writing structure.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the process clearly. You use relevant technical terms such as 'cellulose', 'microbes', and 'harvested'. However, there is a lack of variety in your word choice, and some phrasing is slightly unnatural, such as 'consuming energy from environment' or 'means of transport'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations and avoid repeating basic verbs like 'make' or 'get'. Expanding your range to include more sophisticated synonyms for 'process' or 'produce' would significantly enhance your lexical score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. For example, 'The digram shows that how ethanol is being produced' contains redundant words, and 'from which it leads to produce' is syntactically awkward. There are also issues with article usage ('the environment', 'the air') and subject-verb agreement. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for basic sentence construction and ensuring that your complex sentences are grammatically sound.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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