Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

The diagram shows the process of how the biofuel is produced ethanol.

Firstly, the plants grow with the help of sun energy and carbon dioxide. After that, the trees cut down and send to the factory for further process. After harvesting,they put into the machine and machine cut into the cellous .

Afterthat, the cellous put agian in the proceeor machine where ,it produce other form called sugars.Instead that,the microbes added into the sugar and it become a form of biofule.At the last,the biofuel sens to other places where ,it is use for different transport system.

In the conclusion, the are seven process steps to produce biofuel.Without any one strp,it is not possible.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, containing only 113 words. This results in a significant penalty under Task Achievement as the overview and details of the process are underdeveloped. While the student attempts to trace the steps in the circular biofuel diagram—mentioning plant growth, harvesting, pre-processing into cellulose, processing into sugars, adding microbes, and final distribution—the explanation is too brief and misses key features of the carbon dioxide cycle shown in the diagram. To improve, the writer must ensure they write at least 150 words and provide a more comprehensive, balanced summary of all major stages and relationships depicted in the visual data.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic organisational structure with attempts at paragraphing and chronological sequencing using linking words like 'Firstly', 'After that', and 'At the last'. However, the progression is often disrupted by awkward phrasing, repetitive connectors ('After that', 'Afterthat'), and mechanical referencing. Paragraphing is attempted, but the conclusion is overly brief and simplistic. Cohesive devices are used, but they are frequently inaccurate or over-used, leading to a choppy flow that requires the reader to decode the intended meaning. To achieve a higher band score, the student should use a wider variety of cohesive devices more naturally and ensure that referencing and paragraph structures clearly guide the reader through the stages of the process.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, with frequent reliance on simple terms such as 'process', 'machine', and 'form'. There are numerous spelling errors and awkward word formations, such as 'cellous' for cellulose, 'agian' for again, 'proceeor' for processor, 'biofule' for biofuel, and 'sens' for sent. Less common vocabulary is attempted with very poor accuracy ('Instead that' instead of 'Following this' or 'Subsequently'). While the reader can generally understand the basic topic, the severe spelling errors and restricted range of vocabulary significantly impede communication and lower the lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response displays a very limited range of grammatical structures, consisting mostly of simple and attempted complex sentences that are heavily flawed. There are frequent grammatical errors, including missing articles ('how the biofuel is produced ethanol'), incorrect verb forms ('the trees cut down' instead of 'are cut down'), missing prepositions, and faulty subject-verb agreement or passive constructions ('they put into the machine'). Punctuation errors are also present, such as unnecessary spaces before commas. These persistent errors cause noticeable difficulty for the reader and demonstrate weak control over basic sentence patterns.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.