Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-23

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 process of how biofuel is produce, outlining distinct stages from plants and trees to fully production of ethanol.

Overall, the procedure consists of ten stages, beginning with absorbsption of energy and ending with burning of ethanol through various transportation means. Notably, before microbes are added the ethanol undergo different labouratory steps, including processing and adding of sugar.

At first stage, the plants and trees are grown by the absorption of energy through sunlight and carbon dioxide, then the trees are been harvested by machine. Thereafter, the collected trees or plants is been transported to the pre-processing facilities, where it is broken down by a grinder to extract the cellouse. This extracted cellulose is taken to the processing machine where it's been poured into the beaker tube and diluted, afterwards it produces the sugar compound, microbes is next added to the sugar thereafter Ethanol is created.

Once the Ethanol is produced it is subsequently been used by vehicles as means of fuel, when this means of transportation are used it burns down the fuel through carbon dioxide which circles back and serves as a means of energy to the plants.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The student attempts to summarize the process of biofuel production as shown in the diagram, identifying the main steps from plants and trees growing to ethanol usage and carbon dioxide release. However, there are some inaccuracies in describing the sequence and specific details; for instance, stating that 'microbes are next added to the sugar thereafter Ethanol is created' simplifies the cycle, and some parts of the overview contain minor misreadings of the diagram's cyclical nature. While an overview is attempted, it lacks complete precision regarding how the carbon dioxide flows back to the plants. Consequently, the task is addressed adequately, but the development of ideas is slightly flawed, aligning with a Band 5.5 to 6.0 performance. We award a Band 6.0 for covering the main stages despite minor conceptual inaccuracies.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response is organized into four paragraphs, providing a logical framework that follows the general flow of the process. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'At first stage', 'Thereafter', and 'Once the Ethanol is produced' are employed to guide the reader through the stages. However, referencing and cohesion can be somewhat mechanical and imprecise (e.g., 'trees or plants is been transported', 'when this means of transportation are used'). Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, overview, body steps, and conclusion, but the overall progression feels slightly disjointed due to grammatical interferences in the linking structures. Therefore, a Band 6.0 is appropriate as the coherent arrangement is occasionally hampered by awkward transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student attempts less common vocabulary relevant to the process, such as 'absorption', 'facilities', 'cellulose', 'compound', and 'transportation'. However, there are notable word choice and spelling errors throughout the text, including 'produce' instead of 'produced', 'absorbsption', 'undergo' instead of 'undergoes', 'labouratory', 'cellouse', and 'beaker tube'. These errors indicate a limited control over lexical items and spelling accuracy. While the vocabulary is adequate to convey the basic meaning of the process diagram, the frequent inaccuracies prevent the score from reaching Band 6.0. Thus, a Band 5.5 is awarded.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but it is heavily marred by frequent grammatical and structural errors. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('trees or plants is been transported'), incorrect passive voice constructions ('the trees are been harvested', 'it's been poured'), and tense inconsistencies. Punctuation is also weak in places, leading to run-on sentences, such as in the third paragraph where multiple clauses are strung together with commas. Although communication is not entirely impeded, the high frequency of grammatical errors across most sentences places this firmly in the Band 5 category.

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

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