Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-18
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 the cyclical process of producing the biofuel ethanol, and shows how carbon dioxide is both used and released at differnt stages
In the first stage, plants and trees grow by absorbing energy from sunlight and carbon dioxide. After that, they are harvested using machinery. The harvested biomass then undergoes pre-processing, where it is broken down into small particles, and cellulose is extracted.
In the next, the cellulose is sent for processing in an industrial facility. During this stage, it is converted into sugars. Microbes are then added to these sugars to produce ethanol through fermentation.After it take the shape of the ethanol and it used in the transpotations like, plane,trucks and cars. It produce carbon dioxide by their engines and carbon dioxide give energy to plants. The final step is sunlight and carbon dioxide help to grow plants.
Overall,there are six process in this diagram, it starts from plants and grow trees and it ends with energy sunlight, carbon dioxide.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The student successfully summarises the main features of the biofuel production diagram, covering all key stages from plant growth and harvesting to processing, microbe addition, ethanol use, and the carbon dioxide cycle. The overview provided in the opening sentence accurately captures the cyclical nature of the process. However, the final paragraph becomes slightly repetitive and confused regarding the exact sequence at the end of the cycle ('ends with energy sunlight, carbon dioxide'). Despite this minor confusion in summarising the final steps, the overall response covers all parts of the task effectively, presenting a clear picture of the diagram.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into four paragraphs, providing a logical progression from the beginning of the cycle to the end. Transitional markers such as 'In the first stage', 'After that', and 'In the next' help guide the reader through the sequence. However, paragraphing and cohesion break down slightly in the third and fourth paragraphs, where sentences like 'After it take the shape of the ethanol and it used in the transpotations like, plane,trucks and cars' lack smooth connection and proper referencing. Cohesive devices are sometimes mechanical or faulty, preventing the text from reaching a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully employing process-related terminology such as 'cyclical process', 'biomass', 'cellulose', 'processing', and 'fermentation'. There are, however, several lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as 'differnt' (spelling), 'transpotations', and 'It produce carbon dioxide by their engines'. These errors do not impede overall communication, but they highlight limitations in precision and word formation that prevent a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses and prepositional phrases (e.g., 'plants and trees grow by absorbing energy from sunlight and carbon dioxide'). However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including tense inconsistencies, missing articles, and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'In the next, the cellulose is sent', 'After it take the shape of the ethanol and it used', 'it starts from plants and grow trees'). While these errors do not completely obscure the meaning, they occur regularly and limit the proportion of error-free sentences.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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