Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

first and foremost carbon dioxide in the air and sunlight provide energy required for plants and trees to grow.Once grown,farmers harvest those trees and plants which go through pre-processing and are broken down into cellulose.Afterwards chemical processing takes place breaking down those cellulose into sugars, furthermore microbes are added which finally turn those very cellulose produced from plants and trees into Ethanol.That very ethanol produced is used as fuel in cars,trucks,jets and all motor vehicles.These motor-vehicles emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which is then used as energy for trees and plants to grow. this is a repeated cycle for the production of ethanol

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The student successfully identifies the main stages of the ethanol production process depicted in the diagram, beginning with plant growth, harvesting, pre-processing, chemical processing, and finally the addition of microbes to create ethanol. The response also correctly notes the end use in motor vehicles and the cyclical nature of carbon dioxide emissions. However, the response has a significant drawback regarding length, containing only 104 words, which falls well short of the minimum 150-word requirement for Academic Task 1. Because of this under-length penalty, the task cannot be fully developed, leading to a restricted score for this criterion. To improve, the student must expand on the details provided in the graphic to meet the word count threshold.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response suffers from a complete lack of paragraphing, appearing as a single dense block of text. Cohesive devices are minimal and sometimes repetitive or awkwardly linked, such as using 'That very ethanol produced' and 'This is a repeated cycle'. While the general chronological sequence of the process is followed, the absence of paragraphs and limited use of sophisticated transition signals hamper the overall flow and organizational structure. Addressing paragraph breaks and incorporating a wider array of cohesive devices like 'subsequently', 'following this', or 'in contrast' would greatly enhance coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for describing a process, successfully utilizing terms such as 'photosynthesis' concepts, 'cellulose', 'microbes', and 'carbon dioxide'. However, the lexical range remains somewhat basic and repetitive, utilizing phrases like 'That very ethanol produced' rather than more precise synonyms. There are also slight lexical inaccuracies, such as breaking down 'those cellulose' (cellulose is uncountable). Overall, the vocabulary is minimally sufficient to convey the mechanics of the diagram, but lacks the sophistication and flexibility expected at higher band levels.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student attempts some complex structures, such as participial clauses ('Once grown, farmers harvest...') and relative clauses. However, punctuation is neglected, notably the lack of capitalization at the beginning of sentences ('this is a repeated cycle') and missing commas after introductory phrases. There are also grammatical inaccuracies, such as plural-singular agreement issues with demonstratives ('those cellulose' instead of 'that cellulose'). While the meaning remains mostly clear despite these errors, the lack of punctuation and frequent basic structural slips restrict the score.

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

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