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 diagram illustrates how ethanol is produced from planting trees to final ethanol fuel.

Overall, there are several steps in the production of ethanol fuel, which starts with planting trees and ends with pure ethanol fuel.

At the beginning stage of the process, trees are grown which use sunlight and carbon dioxide for growth. When trees become mature, then the trees are hervested and transported to make ethanol fuel. Next, the harvested trees are put into a machine and make small pieces before starts processing and then cellulose is separate in this stage.

For the remaining stages of the process, in this stage, cellulose is sent to a laboratory to start the process of making ethanol. In the next stage sugars are separated from cellulose and microbes are added to the sugars to make final ethanol fuel. Finally, ethanol fuel is ready for using in different transport sectors such as cars, lorries and aeroplanes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student addresses the main requirements of the task by summarising the overall process of biofuel production from the diagram. Key stages—such as plant growth, harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose separation, sugar extraction, microbe addition, and usage in transport—are identified and reported in sequence. However, the overview sentence in the introduction is overly simplistic and merely paraphrases the prompt without highlighting the cyclical nature of the process (the carbon dioxide loop), which is a key feature of the diagram. Consequently, the development is slightly basic and lacks a fully articulated overview of the entire closed-loop system. While the information reported is largely accurate and derived from the visual data, certain mechanical steps like the release and absorption of carbon dioxide are omitted from the summary. This places the response comfortably at Band 6, as it addresses the task adequately but misses some finer structural complexities.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt to structure the process chronologically. The text is divided into logical paragraphs separating the introduction, the early stages, and the final stages. Cohesive devices such as 'At the beginning stage', 'Next', and 'Finally' are used to guide the reader through the sequence of events. However, referencing and cohesion can be somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'In the next stage... in this stage...'). Paragraphing is generally appropriate, though the transition between ideas within paragraphs could be smoother to enhance the overall flow. The progression of the process is clear, but the lack of more sophisticated cohesive tools prevents the response from achieving a higher band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the production stages successfully. Words and phrases such as 'harvested', 'cellulose', 'microbes', and 'transport sectors' demonstrate an appropriate range of topic-specific terminology. However, there are notable spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'hervested' instead of harvested, and awkward phrasing like 'make small pieces before starts processing' and 'cellulose is separate'. The range is somewhat limited, and attempts at less common vocabulary occasionally result in inaccuracies or repetition. While communication is not impeded, these lexical slips restrict the score to Band 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses ('trees are grown which use sunlight') and adverbial clauses. However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are several noticeable errors in verb forms, voice, and agreement, including 'the trees are hervested', 'cellulose is separate', and 'ready for using' instead of ready for use. Punctuation and comma usage are also occasionally faulty, and some sentences feel run-on or awkwardly constructed. Despite these errors, the core meaning remains comprehensible, and the range of structures deployed is sufficient to meet the descriptors for Band 5.5.

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

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