Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-13

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 representation illustrates how a biofuel named as ethanol is produced.

Overall, the process consists of several stages like energy consumption by the plants to the pre-processing and finally to the method of making and using ethanol as a fuel for different kinds of transportation.

Initially, At the very first stage of biofuel production plants and trees of various kinds use energy in the form of sunlight and the carbon dioxide gas. After fulfilling their energy needs, trees are then harvested by the help of advanced machinery. Then, it is pre-processed into a special form known as Cellulose.

Eventually, the processed cellulose is further being processed to sugar particles. Which are then turned into biofuel ethanol. At last, this chemically made biofuel is being used by the various types of transport. As a result, the ethanol turns into a harmful gas carbon dioxide which is very useful and plays a significant role in the existance of plants and trees.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully covers all the main stages of the ethanol production process shown in the diagram, beginning with energy consumption by plants, through harvesting and pre-processing, to the chemical conversion of cellulose into sugar and ethanol, and finally its use in transport. The overview paragraph effectively highlights the key stages of the process, and relevant features are reported throughout. While some details, such as the exact intermediate chemical steps, are generalised rather than exhaustively detailed, this is entirely appropriate for an Academic Task 1 summary. The response fulfils the requirements of the prompt well, earning a solid band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into a logical sequence, starting with an introduction and overview, followed by chronological paragraphs detailing the steps of the process. Cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'After fulfilling their energy needs', 'Then', 'Eventually', and 'At last' are used to guide the reader through the stages. However, paragraphing is somewhat fragmented, with very short paragraphs that could be better integrated. Furthermore, referencing is occasionally awkward, such as starting a sentence with a bare pronoun ('Then, it is pre-processed') where the antecedent is slightly unclear. Overall, the arrangement is coherent, placing it firmly in the mid-band range.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, successfully incorporating subject-specific terms such as 'biofuel', 'ethanol', 'cellulose', 'carbon dioxide', and 'machinery'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, but some word choices and collocations are unnatural, such as 'named as ethanol' instead of 'known as ethanol', and 'chemically made biofuel' instead of 'chemically produced biofuel'. Additionally, there is a spelling error ('existance' instead of 'existence'). While these lexical slips do not impede communication, they reflect a limited precision that prevents the response from reaching a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'After fulfilling their energy needs, trees are then harvested by the help of advanced machinery.' There are several grammatical errors and punctuation issues, notably sentence fragments ('Which are then turned into biofuel ethanol.') and awkward passive constructions ('is further being processed' and 'is being used'). Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear and communication is rarely impeded. The student shows adequate control over basic structures while attempting more complex forms.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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