Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-30

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 6.5)

The process diagram illustrates the stages involved in the production of biofuel called ethanol.

Overall, the production cycle of ethanol biofuel starts with plants receiving energy to grow and ends with ethanol being consumed by transport vehicles, which emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It is then absorbed again by plants and trees, and the process continues. Throughout the cycle, several processes occur, such as harvesting, pre-processing, processing, and final production.

The initial stage is plants and trees consuming sunlight and carbon dioxide to nurture and grow. Fully matured and grown-up plants and trees undergo harvesting using a tractor. Later, it is pre-processed through machinery, and cellulose is formed.

The following stages of production are continued in the laboratory. Here, processing occurs where cellulose is transformed into sugar. After that, microbes are added to the cellulose sugar, and ethanol is created. The ethanol is utilized as fuel in transport vehicles such as cars, trucks, and airplanes. As a result, motor vehicles emit carbon dioxide into the environment, which is eventually consumed by plants and trees for growth. Hence, the process continues.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing a clear overview of the cyclic process and selecting and reporting the main features of ethanol biofuel production. The response accurately traces the progression from plants and trees growing through harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose formation, and processing into sugars, up to the addition of microbes and the creation of ethanol. Furthermore, the role of transport vehicles emitting carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere to sustain plant growth is well-reported. All key stages shown in the diagram are mentioned logically without inventing extraneous data, fulfilling the requirements for Band 7.0 under Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay displays clear logical organisation and progression throughout. The response is divided into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introductory sentence, followed by an overall summary paragraph, and then detailed body paragraphs outlining the earlier and later stages of the process. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'The initial stage', 'Later', 'The following stages', and 'Hence' are used effectively to guide the reader through the sequence of events. Paragraphing is used appropriately, resulting in a cohesive structure that meets Band 7 standards.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, demonstrating some flexibility and precision with terms related to industrial processes and biology, such as 'production cycle', 'pre-processed', 'cellulose', and 'microbes added'. Less common items are attempted with some awareness of style and collocation, as seen in expressions like 'nurture and grow' and 'transport vehicles'. While there are occasional awkward phrasings or word choices (such as 'fully matured and grown-up plants'), the vocabulary is adequate for conveying the information clearly, placing this within the Band 6.5 to 7.0 range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating relative clauses and participial phrases successfully, such as in 'plants and trees consuming sunlight and carbon dioxide to nurture and grow.' There are frequent error-free sentences, alongside a few minor inaccuracies or awkward transitions (e.g., 'Later, it is pre-processed', where 'it' ambiguously refers to harvested plants). However, grammar and punctuation are controlled well enough that meaning is never obscured, allowing the response to comfortably secure a Band 7.0.

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