Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
THE PICTURE BELOW ILLUSTRATES THE PROCEDURE THROUGH WHICH BIOFUEL KNOWN AS ETHANOL IS PRODUCED.
OVERALL, THE WHOLE PROCESS INVOLVES SEVERAL NUMBER OF STEPS. STARTING WITH THE GROWTH OF PLANTS AND TREES AND ENDING WITH THE RELEASE OF CARBONDIOXIDE DUE TO PRODUCTION OF ETHANOL.THE STEPS ARE GROWTH OF PLANTS AND TREES, HARVESTING, PRE-PROCESSING, CELLULOSE PRODUCTION, PROCESSING, SUGAR MANUFACTURING, ADDITION OF MICROBES AND FINALLY THE PRODUCTION OF ETHANOL ALONG WITH THE RELEASE OF MICROBES.
FIRSTLY, WITH THE HELP OF SUNLIGHT AND CARBONDIOXIDE, PLANTS AND TREES ARE GROWN. THESE ARE THEN HARVESTED AND SENT FOR PRE-PROCESSING. AS A RESULT, CELLULOSE IS MADE. FURTHERMORE, THE CELLULOSE IS THEN PROCESSED AND IS CONVERTED INTO SUGARS.
MICROBES ARE THEN ADDED INTO THE PROCESSED SUGAR. ETHANOL IS THEN USED AS A BIO-FUEL IN DIFFERENT FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION SUCH AS CARS, TRUCKS AND PLANES. MOREOVER, THE CARBONDIOXIDE IS THEN RECYCLED AND TOGETHER WITH SUNLIGHT PRODUCES ENERGY WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE GROWTH OF PLANTS AND TREES.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The student successfully summarises the main features of the biofuel production diagram, outlining the cyclical nature of the process from plant growth to ethanol consumption and carbon dioxide release. The overview correctly highlights that the process involves multiple steps starting with plant growth and ending with carbon dioxide release. However, there are minor inaccuracies in reporting the final stages of the cycle, such as stating 'the release of microbes' instead of carbon dioxide release, and the explanation of how carbon dioxide is recycled lacks complete precision. Nevertheless, all parts of the task are addressed, and the key stages of the process are adequately identified and reported.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a clear overall progression and logical sequence following the stages of the diagram. The student uses sequence markers such as 'STARTING WITH', 'FIRSTLY', and 'FINALLY' to guide the reader through the steps of the process. Paragraphing is used, separating the introduction, the overview, and the body stages effectively. However, the cohesive devices can occasionally feel a bit mechanical, and the capitalization of entire sentences ('THE PICTURE BELOW...') detracts from the professional formatting expected in an academic response. Referencing is generally clear, though paragraph boundaries could be managed slightly better.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms such as 'pre-processing', 'cellulose', 'sugars', 'microbes', and 'transportation'. There are some awkward collocations and lexical inaccuracies, such as 'release of microbes' instead of carbon dioxide, and spelling errors like 'CARBONDIOXIDE' (written as one word). Words like 'procedure' and 'manufactures' are used with varying degrees of precision. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main ideas, it lacks the flexibility and sophistication required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating relative clauses and participial phrases (e.g., 'starting with the growth of plants...'). There are noticeable grammatical and punctuation errors throughout the text, including the use of lowercase letters following periods in places and capitalization issues across entire sentences. Furthermore, minor awkwardness appears in sentences like 'the whole process involves several number of steps'. However, these errors do not severely impede communication, and the meaning remains generally clear to the reader.
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