Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-14
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 diagram illustrates the whole process of production of biofuel and consumption, which is known as ethanol.
Overall, ethnol process consists of seven major parts. It is a complete cycle process which repeated again and again. This recycle process consists of growing plants, harvesting, pre processing, technical processing and consumption of this resource by different modes of transport.
In the initial stage, plants and trees grow by natural energy which is the combination of sunlight and carbon dioxide. After growth plants they are harvested by agticultural equipment. Harvested plant put into pre processing machine for further process which convert them into small pieces of cellulose. Furthermore, cellulose moved into technical labs where some chemicals and sugars added. In the final stage of production, mocrobes added in it which produced ethanol.
After production, biofuel is consumed by different modes of transportation like cars, trucks and aeroplane. When they burn ethanol they exhaust carbon dioxide which released into atmoshphere. Morever, they collaborate with sunlight which convert into energy. Again this energy consumed by plants and they whole process again start.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student successfully identifies the main features and overall cyclical nature of the ethanol production and consumption process. The overview highlights the seven major stages, and the response covers the progression from plant growth through processing to final consumption and carbon release. However, some details are slightly generalised or described with minor inaccuracies in the sequencing of technical steps, such as the blending of sugars and microbes. While all parts of the prompt are addressed, the development of individual stages lacks the depth required for a higher band. Consequently, the response sits comfortably within Band 6.0 as it addresses the task adequately, though certain procedural details remain somewhat under-developed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The text exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and distinct body paragraphs detailing the production and consumption stages. Cohesive devices such as 'In the initial stage', 'Furthermore', and 'After production' are employed to guide the reader through the cycle. However, some referencing and transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive, such as the repeated use of 'process' and phrases like 'the whole process again start'. Paragraphing is used logically to separate production from consumption, earning this response a solid Band 6.0 for logical organization and adequate, if somewhat basic, cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a diagram, using terms such as 'harvested', 'cellulose', 'microbes', and 'consumption'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, but these are occasionally accompanied by word choice errors, spelling mistakes ('ethnol', 'agticultural', 'atmoshphere', 'Morever'), and awkward collocations like 'pre processing machine'. Despite these lexical slips and spelling inaccuracies, communication is not significantly impeded, and the vocabulary remains minimally adequate to convey the core concepts of the process. This performance aligns well with the Band 6 descriptors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and time markers ('When they burn ethanol they exhaust...'). There are, however, several grammatical errors throughout the text, such as missing articles ('After growth plants they are harvested'), incorrect verb forms ('Harvested plant put into', 'mocrobes added in it which produced ethanol'), and punctuation issues. While these errors occur regularly, they rarely impede overall communication, as the intended meaning remains clear. This balance of simple and complex forms with persistent errors represents a typical Band 6 grammatical performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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