Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-11
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 5.0)
The diagram illustrates how biofuel (ethanol) is produced from trees and uses of it.
Overall, It can be seen that this is a complex procedure, there are several steps to make ethanol. Starts from cultivation of trees to the real life uses of ethanol.
At the beginning, of the process trees are grown by sunlight and carbon dioxide. after harvesting the mature trees pre-processing step starts in this process trees go through a machine and came out as cellulose. Then the cellulose go through processing step. As, the processing step over the cellulose transformed into sugars by help some chemicals.
After that, microbes are added on the sugars which are come from the cellulose. This is the final step, ethanol is prepared after completing this. The ethanol is used in vehicles like car, truck, and airplane which emissions carbon dioxide. As the beginning of the period carbon dioxide are used as the energy source of growing trees.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response provides a basic overview of the ethanol production process, covering the main stages from tree cultivation to end-use. However, the description lacks detail and precision. For instance, the transition from 'cellulose' to 'sugars' is described as happening 'by help some chemicals,' which is vague. Furthermore, the report fails to highlight key comparisons or specific technical features of the diagram, such as the specific inputs and outputs at each stage. The summary is functional but remains at a superficial level, failing to fully develop the information provided in the diagram. To improve, you should focus on describing the process more accurately and ensuring all key stages are clearly linked to their respective inputs and outputs.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, 'As, the processing step over' is grammatically awkward and disrupts the flow. The transition between sentences is sometimes abrupt, and the use of referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the final paragraph where the connection between the carbon dioxide cycle and the production process could be more logically structured. While there is an overall progression, the lack of sophisticated linking words makes the text feel somewhat disjointed.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains limited and repetitive. You rely on basic terms like 'process,' 'step,' and 'trees.' There are also some noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'emissions carbon dioxide' (should be 'emits carbon dioxide') and 'microbes are added on the sugars' (should be 'added to the sugars'). The range of vocabulary is not sufficient to demonstrate flexibility or precision. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more topic-specific terminology related to industrial processes, such as 'fermentation,' 'conversion,' or 'by-products,' and ensure correct word forms are used.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'Overall, It can be seen that this is a complex procedure, there are several steps...' (a comma splice), 'which are come from the cellulose' (incorrect verb form), and 'As the beginning of the period' (unclear phrasing). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and correct sentence boundaries.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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