Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-17
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 illustrated diagram depicts the diverse steps of process of how biofuel, which is called Ethnol is made.
Firslty, the fuel which is made from natural resources like plants and trees, in first step the sun-light and the carbon dioxide both provide energy to the plants and the trees. After the plants grow, harvesting process is started while the harvesting is completed. The pre-processing is done to the plants and trees. Once the pre-processing is completed the material is shifted to cellulose.When the cellulose stage is completed, it is transfered to chemicals processing and the chemicals are mixed and they became in the form of different form of sugars and microbes were added in the sugars. Once all the chemicals are mixed and crossed all the stages of process it became in the form of the ethanol. The Ethnanol is ready for use and provided to different transporations, like aeroplanes, trucks and cars. When all transportation used the ethanol and release carbon dioxide into the environments.
In comparison, the process is done by compeleting several steps started from the plants and trees and finished at making of Ethanol which is provided to transport for usage.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers the main stages of the biofuel production cycle shown in the diagram, beginning with plants and sunlight, moving through harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose, processing into sugars, adding microbes, and finally producing ethanol for transport which releases carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. However, the overview and summarisation are weak. The student attempts an overview paragraph at the end ('In comparison, the process is done by compeleting several steps...'), but it is very brief, repetitive, and lacks analytical clarity. Some minor terminology errors occur, such as misspelling ethanol as 'Ethnol' and 'Ethnanol'. Overall, all parts of the visual data are addressed, but the development and overview characteristics align best with a Band 6 descriptor.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The text is structured into two paragraphs, though the second paragraph consists only of a single concluding sentence. Progression within the main body relies heavily on basic sequence markers like 'Firslty', 'After', 'Once', and 'When'. These cohesive devices are often mechanical and repetitive. Paragraphing is inadequate because the body of the response is crammed into one very long, run-on paragraph rather than being broken down into logical phases of the cycle. Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as 'the material is shifted to cellulose', which implies cellulose is a physical location rather than a stage. These issues place the response firmly in the Band 5 to 6 range.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The student attempts some less common vocabulary relevant to the topic, such as 'harvesting', 'pre-processing', 'cellulose', 'microbes', and 'transporations'. However, there are noticeable spelling errors ('Ethnol', 'Firslty', 'compeleting', 'Ethnanol') and word-formation/collocation inaccuracies (e.g., 'they became in the form of different form of sugars' and 'transportation used the ethanol'). The vocabulary is adequate to communicate the basic steps of the diagram, but repeated lexical inaccuracies and restricted phrasing limit the score to Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writing contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but many complex sentences are heavily flawed and ungrammatical. For instance, 'After the plants grow, harvesting process is started while the harvesting is completed' mixes tenses awkwardly, and 'When all transportation used the ethanol and release carbon dioxide' lacks a main clause. Punctuation is also problematic, with run-on sentences and comma splices connecting disparate ideas. Frequent grammatical errors cause occasional difficulty for the reader, matching the Band 5 criteria.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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