Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)
The diagram below shows the different stages involved in the process of ethanol, known as a biofuel.
Overall, the process consists of two main phases: the conversion of plant material into ethanol, and the combustion of ethanol to power vehicles, with the resulting carbon dioxide being reabsorbed by new plant growth, forming a continuous cycle.
Firstly, the process starts with plants and trees flourishing energy along with sunlight and carbon dioxide. Once developed, these crops are harvested by machines and undergo pre-processing to prepare the raw materials. This yields cellulose, which is then transported to a processing facility.
In addition, the cellulose is broken down into sugars. Microbes are are subsequently added to these sugars, triggering a fermentation process that produces ethanol.
Resulting, ethanol is then act as an advantage to numerous sources of transportation for instance, airplanes, trucks and cars. Therefore, these vehicles burn the ethanol, carbon dioxide is released as the by-product. This carbon dioxide re-enters the atmosphere and is absorbed once again by growing plants, thereby completing the cycle.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response successfully covers all main stages of the ethanol production and usage cycle shown in the diagram. You provide an overview in the second paragraph mentioning the two main phases and the continuous cycle, which fulfills the requirement to report main features. You trace the process from plants absorbing sunlight and carbon dioxide, through harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose extraction, and breakdown into sugars, down to fermentation and vehicle usage. However, there are minor lapses in precision regarding the steps, such as stating that plants flourish energy along with sunlight and carbon dioxide, and some slight confusion in the final paragraph regarding how the process is described. Overall, the response addresses the prompt well and presents a clear summary.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organised into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that follow the sequential steps of the diagram. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the process, such as 'Firstly', 'Once developed', 'In addition', 'subsequently', and 'Therefore'. However, referencing and transitional links occasionally feel somewhat mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'Resulting, ethanol is then act as an advantage to numerous sources of transportation'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different stages of the cycle, contributing to an overall clear arrangement.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully employing process-related terminology such as 'conversion', 'pre-processing', 'cellulose', 'fermentation', and 'by-product'. However, there are notable word choice and collocation errors that detract from precision, such as 'plants flourishing energy' and 'ethanol is then act as an advantage to numerous sources of transportation'. Additionally, some grammatical forms of words are misused, such as starting a sentence with 'Resulting,'. Despite these inaccuracies, communication is not impeded, and the vocabulary remains minimally sufficient to describe the diagram.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as participial phrases ('forming a continuous cycle') and relative clauses ('which is then transported'). However, there are several noticeable grammatical errors throughout the text. For instance, the passive construction 'Microbes are are subsequently added' contains a duplicated word, and the sentence starting with 'Resulting, ethanol is then act' is grammatically broken. Another error appears in the final sentence: 'burn the ethanol, carbon dioxide is released' lacks a proper conjunction or semicolon. While these errors occur, they do not entirely obscure the meaning of the process.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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