Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The visual illustrates the production of a biofuel known as ethanol. Overall, the process includes a number of sequential stages starting initially from the cultivation of plants and then undergoing several procedures before ultimately being produced as ethanol which is later utilized by a number of vehicles.

Firstly, the solar energy combined with carbondioxide helps the plants and trees to grow that are then harvested by a farmer. Once collected, they undergo a pre-processing stage and eventually turns out as cellulose. During this stage, the mixture is almost halfway through the final stage. Similarly, the resulting product, cellulose is processed again for the creation of sugars. Finally, microbes are added into the mixture that leads to the production of ethanol. Ultimately, the ethanol is used as a fuel by several vehicles such as cars, trucks and airplanes for their functionality. However, these vehicles generate substantial amounts of carbondioxide which is released into the atmosphere and subsequently contributes to the first step in the production of ethanol fuel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student covers all the key parts of the task by reporting the main stages of the biofuel production cycle. An overview is successfully provided in the second sentence of the introduction, outlining the sequential nature of the process from plant cultivation to vehicle usage. The main features are accurately reported, following the flow of the diagram from energy absorption and growth through harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose creation, processing into sugars, adding microbes, and finally yielding ethanol for transport while explaining the closed-loop carbon dioxide release. Ideas are adequately developed and supported by the visual data without significant omissions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. The writing follows the cyclical process chronologically, making good use of sequencing expressions such as 'Firstly', 'Once collected', 'Similarly', and 'Ultimately'. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well to connect the stages of the diagram, though the paragraphing is somewhat compressed since the entire body of the process is placed into a single dense paragraph. Nevertheless, referencing is clear, and the overall progression from raw materials to final consumption and back to carbon dioxide is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student employs a sufficient range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic task describing a process, incorporating terms such as 'cultivation', 'sequential stages', 'pre-processing', 'cellulose', and 'microbes'. There are some minor lexical inaccuracies or awkward phrasing, such as 'carbondioxide' (written as one word) and 'turns out as cellulose' instead of 'turns into cellulose'. However, the vocabulary is adequate to convey the mechanics of the diagram clearly and demonstrates some awareness of less common lexical items related to scientific processes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

A mix of simple and complex sentence structures is used throughout the response, including relative clauses and participial phrases (e.g., 'plants and trees to grow that are then harvested' and 'ethanol which is later utilized'). There are a few grammatical errors, such as the missing article in 'combined with carbondioxide' and spelling issues like 'carbondioxide'. Complex structures are generally attempted with reasonable success, and errors do not impede communication, allowing the reader to easily understand the sequential steps described.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.