Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-22

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 4.5)

The diagram shows the production of an important Biofuel Ethanol the production of Ethanol contain various steps the first step is very simple and easy which is growing plants and trees we all know that tree's main source of energy is sunlight and corbondioxide which help them to grow.

Then further second step which is Harvesting.Farmer harvest plants and tree and then take them for the third step which is pre processing plants are processesd through different machine to get cellulose which go through different process and in the result we get sugars in which Microbes are added to produce Ethanol then Ethanol is used in different vehicles such as an Aeroplane,Cars and trucks which produced corbon dioxide which help plants to grow.

It can be seen that whole cycle is created in which this same process happen again and again to get one of the most using Biofuel Ethanol.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The student attempts to cover the main stages of the biofuel production diagram, mentioning plant growth, harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose, sugars, microbes, and ethanol usage. However, the response lacks a clear overview, which is essential for an Academic Task 1 response. The description is presented as a single continuous block of text without a well-defined structure or summary statement, resulting in a somewhat limited development of the process steps. Furthermore, there are minor inaccuracies in interpreting the diagram's flow, such as how carbon dioxide is portrayed. Overall, the task is addressed, but the lack of a proper overview and paragraphing keeps the score at Band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The response suffers significantly from a lack of proper paragraphing and punctuation. The vast majority of the text is written as a single, massive run-on sentence connected by conjunctions like 'and' and 'then'. There are very few full stops, capital letters are missing after sentence boundaries (e.g., 'Harvesting.Farmer harvest'), and cohesive devices are repetitive and basic. Although the logical sequence of the process follows the diagram to some extent, the complete absence of a clear paragraph structure and severe punctuation errors prevent the reader from following the text smoothly. This corresponds to a Band 4.0 descriptor.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The student demonstrates a limited range of vocabulary, relying heavily on repeating basic terms from the prompt, such as 'ethanol', 'plants', 'trees', 'harvesting', and 'carbon dioxide'. There are also several vocabulary and spelling errors, such as 'corbondioxide', 'processesd', and 'most using Biofuel'. While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey the basic steps of the process, the lack of control over word formation and spelling, alongside a restricted lexical range, aligns with a Band 5.0 rating.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The response shows a very limited range of grammatical structures. It relies almost exclusively on simple clauses strung together with coordinating conjunctions, resulting in major run-on sentence errors due to a complete lack of terminal punctuation. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('tree's main source', 'plants are processesd', 'vehicles such as an Aeroplane,Cars'), missing articles, and awkward phrasing. Because complex sentences are either absent or severely flawed and punctuation errors impede readability, the grammar is indicative of Band 4.0.

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