Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-19

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 6.5)

The process chart illustrates how a biofuel named ethanol is formed.

Overall, this is a linear process consisting of eight stages, beginning with the absorbtion of the sunlight and carbon dioxide from the environment by plants and trees and ending with the formation of ethanol, which is used as a fuel in cars, trucks and airplanes.

Initially, plants and tree take energy from the environment, which is the combination of the sunlight and carbon-dioxide. At the next step, when the plants and trees grow, they are harvested by the harvester. Subsequently, the pre-processing is done through the machines and as a residue cellulose is formed.

At the following step, the cellulose is processed in the industry. Finally, sugars are formed. At the final stage, microbes are added into the sugars, which ultimatelly formed a biofuel called ethanol. The ethanol is ready to use as a fuel for cars, airplanes and trucks. These vehicles released carbon oxide in the environment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses the main features of the process diagram, covering the overall cycle of biofuel production from plants to ethanol and its subsequent use, resulting in carbon dioxide release. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, outlining the linear/cyclical nature of the process. Key stages such as planting, harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose extraction, industrial processing, sugar formation, and microbe addition are properly reported. However, the student incorrectly describes the diagram as strictly 'linear' when the visual data clearly depicts a closed-loop cycle involving carbon dioxide returning to the environment and being reabsorbed by plants. Despite this minor misinterpretation of the overarching process structure, the response covers all main stages adequately, earning a solid Band 6.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is coherently organised and presents a clear logical progression from the beginning to the end of the process. The student makes effective use of sequential cohesive devices and transition markers such as 'Overall', 'Initially', 'At the next step', 'Subsequently', 'At the following step', and 'Finally'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, overview, and body details. However, referencing is occasionally repetitive, relying heavily on formulas like 'At the [adj] step', which can feel somewhat mechanical. Nevertheless, the overall arrangement is clear, and the logical flow is maintained throughout, satisfying the criteria for Band 6.5.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting less common lexical items such as 'absorbtion', 'residue', 'ultimately', and 'microbes'. However, there are notable spelling and word-choice errors, including 'absorbtion' instead of 'absorption', 'plants and tree' instead of 'plants and trees', and 'released carbon oxide' instead of 'released carbon dioxide'. Furthermore, 'ultimatelly' contains a spelling error. While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the score from reaching Band 7. The vocabulary is minimally sufficient to describe the process with some precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating relative clauses and participial phrases (e.g., 'which is the combination of the sunlight and carbon-dioxide', 'which ultimatelly formed a biofuel called ethanol'). Control over grammar is moderate, with several minor inaccuracies such as 'plants and tree take' (subject-verb agreement), 'the pre-processing is done' (unnecessary article), and 'These vehicles released carbon oxide' (tense inconsistency; 'release' or 'release carbon dioxide' would be more appropriate for a general process). There is a sufficient variety of structures to communicate the information clearly, but frequent minor errors limit the score to a Band 6.0.

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