Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-28
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 infographic representation in form of diagram illustrates process how biofuel called ethanol is produced.
Overall, the process consists around 8 stages begins with growth of plants and trees and ending with use of ethanol as fuel.
In first stage, plants and trees are grown by consuming sunlight energy and carbon dioxide. When they become matured enough, then harvested and transport with the help of tractor to pre-processing plant. Further more, in pre-processing plant it was convert into cellulose with machines. Then in further process this cellulose converted into liquid form in the Processing stage.
Later this liquid transform into sugars. Moreover, in the sugar, Microbes are added to convert sugar into usable fuel called ethanol. Than this ethanol are ready to use in the vehicles such as car, truck and many more. When the fuel is burned, carbon dioxide is released, allowing plants and trees to absorb it and this cycle continues.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main stages of the biofuel production cycle. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, capturing the start and end of the process. The student reports the key features accurately, such as plant growth using sunlight and carbon dioxide, harvesting, pre-processing into cellulose, processing into sugars, and the addition of microbes to create ethanol. The final stages regarding vehicle usage and carbon dioxide absorption completing the cycle are also mentioned. While some minor details from the prompt could be expanded, the response covers the circular process well enough to meet the requirements for a Band 6.5 to 7.0 range. A Band 6.0 is awarded as the development is somewhat basic and relies on listing rather than highly extended analysis.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is arranged coherently with a clear overall progression from the beginning of the process to the end. The text is divided into appropriate paragraphs, separating the introduction, overview, and body steps. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the stages, such as 'In first stage', 'Further more', 'Then', and 'Later this liquid'. However, some of these transitions are mechanical, and referencing is occasionally faulty, such as 'in the sugar, Microbes are added', which sounds slightly awkward. Paragraphing is used sufficiently, but overall logical flow could be enhanced with smoother transitions between steps.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms like 'biofuel', 'ethanol', 'cellulose', 'processing stage', and 'microbes'. However, there are noticeable word-choice and grammatical form errors throughout the text, such as 'infographic representation in form of diagram' instead of 'in the form of a diagram', 'transport' instead of 'transported', and 'convert into cellulose' instead of 'converted into cellulose'. While these lexical and morphological slips occur, communication is not impeded, and the vocabulary remains minimally adequate to convey the intended meaning of the process diagram.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar and punctuation is inconsistent. There are several noticeable grammatical errors, such as 'consists around 8 stages begins with' (missing preposition and relative pronoun), 'it was convert' (incorrect tense and form), 'this ethanol are ready' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'Than this ethanol' (incorrect spelling of 'Then'). Complex structures are attempted but often contain errors. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the frequency of basic grammatical inaccuracies places this response firmly in the Band 5.5 category.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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