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 given picture illustrate the production of a very important biofuel known as ethanol. The process of this making takes place in many steps which are as follows. The diagrams also depicts the production from its initial stage to the final stage.
Overall, the production of the ethanol is a sustainable process in which the ethanol produced is used and recycled. Every step plays an important role in the production of ethanol. Initially ethanol is observed by plants and trees from the atmosphere and these trees were harvested later. After the harvesting, trees and plants were taken for the pre processing which result in the seperation of cellulose.
The produced cellulose is processed with chemicals in order to extract the sugar molecules. On the other hand, microbes were added to sugars to produce the main product called cellulose.
This ethanol is used in many vehicles as fuels, especially in cars, aeroplanes and trucks. After the utilisation of ethanol by the vehicles, carbondioxide is liberated by the vehicles and was again observed by the trees and plants. This process continues all long.
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 reporting the main stages of the biofuel production cycle. An overview is provided, stating that ethanol production is a sustainable, recycled process. Key features of the diagram are outlined, from sunlight and plant growth to harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose extraction, and the addition of microbes. However, there is a minor factual slip in the third paragraph where the student states that microbes are added 'to produce the main product called cellulose', whereas cellulose was extracted earlier and ethanol is the final product. Despite this inaccuracy, the main features and overall cyclical nature of the process are clearly reported, fulfilling the requirements for Band 6.5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a clear overall arrangement and follows the chronological flow of the diagram. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to break up the introduction, overview, and body steps. Cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader through the process, such as 'Initially', 'After the harvesting', and 'On the other hand'. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical, as seen in the phrase 'produce the main product called cellulose', which creates confusion. Furthermore, paragraphing is somewhat abrupt, and transitions between sentences could be smoother to achieve a higher band score.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms like 'biofuel', 'harvested', 'pre-processing', 'seperation', and 'utilisation'. There are some noticeable spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'illustrate' instead of 'illustrates', 'observed' instead of 'absorbed', 'seperation' instead of 'separation', and 'carbondioxide' instead of 'carbon dioxide'. Additionally, the mix-up between cellulose and ethanol impacts precision. While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey the basic steps of the process, these lexical inaccuracies prevent the response from achieving a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as relative clauses ('a very important biofuel known as ethanol') and passive constructions ('trees and plants were taken'). However, there are frequent errors in verb tenses, agreement, and prepositions. For instance, the opening sentence has a subject-verb agreement error ('The given picture illustrate'), and the text shifts erratically between present and past tenses ('is a sustainable process', 'initial stage', 'trees were harvested', 'trees and plants were taken'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but grammatical slips are frequent enough to occasionally distract the reader.
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