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)
As far as this diagram is concerned, the given diagram shows the information about how a biofuel called ethanol is produced.
Overall, it is clear that the process of ethanol requires a lot of steps which are shown in the diagram as well. How its process starts from trees to till end of ethanol as a product. There are many procedures involved in it.
In the beginning, the plants are grown into tress, their growth is based on sunlight. After growing into trees, they are harvested. After harvesting the trees, they are brought to pre-processing plant and then converted into cellulose. After the formation of cellulose, they are further processed. After the processing, cellulose is converted into sugars. Then microbes are added in sugars. In this way ethanol is formed. Then this ethanol is used in vehicles like cars, trucks and jets as fuel. These vehicles emit carbon dioxide. The emitted carbon dioxide is absorbed by the trees which is used for their development and nourishment.
In conclusion, the diagram presents a clear pattern of how ethanol is formed, with factors involving in its production.
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 makes a clear attempt to summarise the diagram illustrating the production of ethanol from plants. While the main stages of the process are identified—such as growing plants, harvesting, pre-processing into cellulose, adding sugars and microbes, and subsequent use as fuel—the response lacks a thorough overview and fails to make any meaningful comparisons. Furthermore, the description tends to be mechanical and repetitive, listing steps sequentially with phrases like 'After growing', 'After harvesting', and 'After the formation'. This places the response in Band 5, as it addresses the task partially and lacks fully developed and extended ideas. However, the cyclical nature involving carbon dioxide absorption is at least partially captured, showing a basic understanding of the visual data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The text is divided into four short paragraphs, representing an introduction, an overview, the body process, and a conclusion. However, the overall organization suffers from heavy repetition of cohesive devices. The writer relies excessively on the phrase 'After' (e.g., 'After growing into trees, they are harvested. After harvesting... After the formation... After the processing...'), which makes the paragraphing and flow mechanical and unvaried. Although there is a basic chronological progression, the lack of sophisticated transition markers and referencing limitations result in a Band 5 score. Paragraphing is attempted, but the internal cohesion of the body paragraph is heavily strained by repetitive structural links.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally basic and repetitive. Words such as 'process', 'diagram', 'formed', 'processing', and 'trees' are repeated frequently throughout the text. There are limited attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'cellulose', 'microbes', and 'nourishment', but these are overshadowed by frequent reliance on simple terms. Phrasing like 'the given diagram shows the information about' is overly conversational and clunky. Although communication is not impeded and the student successfully names elements from the diagram, the narrow range and frequent lexical repetition correspond to a Band 5 descriptor.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control is inconsistent. There are noticeable grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'how its process starts from trees to till end of ethanol as a product' and 'with factors involving in its production' (where 'involved' would be correct). Additionally, sentence structures tend to be repetitive, often starting with subject-verb-object patterns or simple dependent clauses. While some complex structures are attempted, frequent awkwardness and minor errors put this performance firmly at Band 5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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