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 describe the process of ethanol production.
Overall, it is readily apparent that there are quite a few stages in the whole process, and the major once are utilization of sun light and carbon dioxide for plant growth.
To commence with, energy in the form of sunlight and carbon dioxide in plants and trees is harvested by machines. Then, this harvest enters a pre-processing stage which breaks large stalks and matter down into cellulose. After that, this cellulose is moved to processing and made sugars. The final stages of the process involve adding microbes to the sugar yo produce ethanol. Then, the finished ptoducts is used by cars, trucks, and airplanes. These modes of transport themselves create carbon dioxide and contribute to the cyclical production system.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to outline the process of ethanol production, mentioning the initial absorption of sunlight and carbon dioxide, pre-processing, cellulose breakdown, sugar conversion, and the final use of ethanol in transportation. However, there are notable omissions and inaccuracies regarding the actual diagram steps, such as confusing plant growth with the direct harvesting of energy. Furthermore, the response is under-length, containing only 127 words compared to the required 150-word minimum, which places a ceiling on the task achievement score. Consequently, this leads to a score of 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The text demonstrates a basic overall arrangement with some logical progression, moving from the initial stages to the final use of ethanol. Paragraphing is attempted, with an introduction, an overview sentence, and a body paragraph. Cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'Then', and 'After that' are used to sequence the steps. However, referencing and transitions are sometimes mechanical or slightly imprecise, such as 'this harvest enters', and the lack of a fully developed paragraph structure keeps the coherence at a moderate level, fitting band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting some less common items related to the diagram such as 'pre-processing', 'cellulose', 'microbes', and 'cyclical production system'. However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and typos, such as 'describe' instead of 'describes', 'major once' instead of 'major ones', 'sugar yo produce' instead of 'to produce', and 'ptoducts' instead of 'products'. These errors show limited control over word choice and spelling, justifying a band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'Overall, it is readily apparent that there are quite a few stages...' and 'These modes of transport themselves create carbon dioxide...'. There are several grammatical errors and typos present, including 'The diagram describe', 'sunlight and carbon dioxide in plants and trees is harvested' (subject-verb agreement/logic issues), and spelling mistakes like 'ptoducts'. Despite these errors, communication is not severely impeded, allowing the response to secure a band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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