Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-25
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 5.0)
The structure the steps how ethanol is generated. It illustrates a cycle which contain a numerous factors of change in it. It includes cellulose, processing and sugars etc.
Firstly, energy from the sunlight and carbon dioxide combined together. Then from it trees and plants growth commenced. In contrast, the cultivation of crop started and the grains were separated from the seeds by pre processing through a machine. From these grains, the cellulose is manufactured and further move for next steps.
The cellulose go for further more processing and converted it into sugars. These sugars moved for the addition of microbes in it. By contrast, the ethanol got produced. Then it used in many useful applications such as airplanes, trucks and cars. The ethanol is mainly fuel. Its second name is fuel.
The airplanes gives out CO2 and trucks also gives out it. The cars also join this cycle. The carbon dioxide excessed out in the environment.
In conclusion, this process highlights the significance of trees and plants as they give carbon dioxide and it further used for this makn process. Carbon dioxide is the essential part of life for humans as therefore this cycle mainly showed this again and again in it
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response attempts to summarise the process of ethanol production from the provided diagram. However, it fails to present a clear, comprehensive overview of the entire cyclical process. Several stages are described inaccurately or disjointedly, such as claiming that 'trees and plants growth commenced' from sunlight and carbon dioxide 'in contrast' to harvesting, which misinterprets the sequential relationship of the flow chart. Furthermore, important connections between the stages are lost or poorly reported, leading to an under-developed summary. While the writer recognises that the diagram depicts a cycle involving plants, processing, and transportation emissions, the execution lacks the precision and clear selection of main features required for a higher band. Consequently, the performance aligns best with Band 5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The text is divided into several paragraphs, showing an attempt at organisation. However, the overall progression of ideas is disjointed and confusing. The use of cohesive devices is frequently inappropriate or misleading, such as starting a sentence with 'In contrast' where no contrast exists, or using pronouns with unclear referents (e.g., 'Then from it trees and plants growth commenced'). Paragraphing is also erratic, with single sentences standing alone as paragraphs, which disrupts the flow of information. While there is a basic chronological sequence attempted using words like 'Firstly' and 'Then', the mechanical and inaccurate use of cohesive ties prevents the text from achieving a smooth and logical progression. This places the response firmly in Band 5.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is very basic and repetitive, frequently relying on simple terms like 'things', 'steps', and 'process'. There are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward collocations, such as 'carbon dioxide excessed out' and 'the ethanol got produced'. The writer also attempts some less common vocabulary, like 'cultivation', but struggles with accurate word choice, stating 'Its second name is fuel' instead of explaining its function. While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey a rough idea of the process, the frequent errors in word formation and collocation cause some difficulty for the reader and restrict the score to Band 4.5, rounded to 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.0
The response exhibits a very limited range of grammatical structures. Simple sentences predominate, and attempts at more complex structures frequently result in serious grammatical errors, such as 'The structure the steps how ethanol is generated', which lacks a main verb. Subject-verb agreement errors are common, including 'trees and plants growth commenced' and 'The airplanes gives out CO2'. Punctuation and phrasing are also problematic throughout the response. Because grammatical errors are frequent and occasionally obscure the intended meaning, the grammatical control corresponds to Band 4.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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