Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-12
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 displays the information about how a biofuel called ethanol is produced.In addtion, it completely shows how biofuel is produced from trees and how carbon dioxide is produced which helps in runninng the whole cycle.
Overall, this whole procedure for making ethonal has overall 6 steps which are very important for creating ethanol and from ethonal to transportation vehicals which emmit carbon dioxide which helps the plants in growing.
In the starting step plants and trees grows in there location, from that location trees and plants will be harvested. Then trees will go under a pre-processing procedure which will grind and make small chunks from the trees and from that chunks we get cellulose which is the main component in making the biofuel. Cellulose will be gone to processing procedure which produce sugars particals and in that particals microbes will be added and it will produce ethanol.
Then ethanol is used in transporation vehicles like cars, trucks, or aeroplanes, which will consume the ethanol and emmit carbon dioxide whch helps with the plants for there energy because for plants and trees energy there are two main components sunlight and carbon dioxide.
In addition, this is the complete cycle for biofuel production and how carbon dioxide helps in cycle.
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 student attempts to describe the six-step process of ethanol production from trees. While all main stages—such as harvesting, pre-processing, chunking, cellulose extraction, processing into sugars, and microbial addition—are mentioned, the description lacks the precision and clear data selection required for a higher band. The overview provided in the second paragraph is repetitive and focuses slightly too much on the cyclic nature rather than concisely summarising the key features of the diagram as a whole. Key comparisons and trends are underdeveloped, resulting in a performance that aligns best with Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The text is divided into paragraphs, representing an attempt at organisation. However, the progression of ideas is often hampered by repetitive phrasing and a lack of smooth transitions. Cohesive devices are used mechanically, such as 'In the starting step' and 'Then ethanol is used', which draws attention to the structural limitations. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly with pronoun usage like 'in that particals microbes will be added and it will produce ethanol'. Paragraphing is present, but internal cohesion requires better management. These features place the response firmly at Band 5.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, frequently reusing words like 'produce', 'ethanol', 'trees', and 'process' ('pre-processing procedure', 'processing procedure'). There are noticeable word choice and spelling errors, such as 'ethonal', 'vehicals', 'emmit', 'particals', and 'transporation'. The range of vocabulary is limited to minimally adequate for describing the diagram, and these lexical inaccuracies occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. This performance reflects the descriptors for Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but attempts at complex structures are frequently faulty. There are multiple grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues like 'plants and trees grows in there location' and incorrect prepositions such as 'for plants and trees energy there are two main components'. Punctuation is also weak, with run-on sentences and missing commas. These frequent errors cause some difficulty for the reader, matching the criteria for a Band 5.0 score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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