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 depicts the industrial process process of producing a biofuel called ethanol.
Overall, the production of ethanol includes eight distinct stages. The process begins with the harvesting of trees, followed by processing using various chemicals, and concludes with the formation of ethanol, which is in turn utilized by different types of vehicles. Notably, this is a cyclical process, as the carbon dioxide emitted by the vehicles is released back into the atmosphere and absorbed by growing trees.
The energy such as sunlight and carbondioxide from environment is consumed by plants and trees to grow and nourish. The initial step includes harvesting of plants and trees, which, is pre-processed where they are broken down into cellulose. Subsequently, this cellulose is chemically processed in a laboratory to extract simple sugar molecules. Microbes are added into the sugar to produce ethanol.
In the last stage, ethanol is being consumed by cars, trucks, and planes, followed by releasing carbon-dioxide in air which is again use as a energy source by plants.
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 covers all key features of the diagram, accurately outlining the main steps of ethanol production from harvesting plants to its consumption in vehicles and the subsequent release and absorption of carbon dioxide. An overview is successfully presented in the second paragraph, highlighting the cyclical nature and the total number of stages. However, there are minor inaccuracies in the step count (the diagram actually shows nine or ten distinct nodes/stages rather than strictly eight) and a slight oversimplification of the chemical processing phase. Nonetheless, the task is well-addressed overall, fulfilling the requirements for a clear summary of visual information.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is logically organized with a clear progression from the introduction through the body steps to the conclusion of the cycle. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction/overview, the body stages, and the final stage. Cohesive devices are employed with reasonable effectiveness, such as 'The process begins', 'Subsequently', and 'In the last stage'. However, there are some minor mechanical links and occasional awkward referencing, such as 'which, is pre-processed where they are broken down', which slightly disrupts the flow. Overall arrangement remains coherent throughout.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a technical process, utilizing terms like 'harvesting', 'pre-processed', 'cellulose', 'molecules', and 'microbes'. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, though accompanied by word-choice and spelling errors, such as 'process process' (repetition), 'carbondioxide' (one word), and 'use as a energy source' (grammatical/lexical slip for 'used as an energy source'). Despite these occasional errors, communication is not impeded, and the vocabulary is sufficient for the task.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating relative clauses and passive constructions ('which is pre-processed', 'is being consumed'). However, there are noticeable grammatical errors and punctuation lapses, such as unnecessary commas ('which, is pre-processed'), missing articles ('as a energy source'), and subject-verb agreement or tense slips ('which is again use'). While these errors do not impede overall communication, they prevent the text from achieving a higher band score due to a lack of consistent accuracy in complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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