Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-01

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 diagram illustrates the step by step information of how a biofuel called ethanol is produced.

Overall, plants and trees use sunlight and carbon dioxide as a source of energy. After growing, plants are harvested and cut itinto small pieces called pre processing. Cellulose are completely extracted from these cutting plants.

Moreover, all the cellulose transfered into the factories where it is completely processed from different procedures. After the complete process in industries, sugar is made from the cellulose. After this, some little microbes added in the sugar via different techniques. Sugar and mixed microbes made a biofuel called ethanol.

This is the process of ethanol making by plants. Ethanol is used as a fuel in differnt transports. In aeroplans, trucks and cars andthese vehicles produce carbon dioxide. Also carbon dioxide again used the plants as a source of energy.

Overall, biofuel is made from the plants and trees and it's a complete process.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main stages of the biofuel production cycle. However, some aspects are under-developed or less clear. For instance, the transition from harvesting to pre-processing is awkwardly described, and certain steps are treated superficially rather than being clearly outlined as a continuous cycle. The overview attempts to capture the main feature—that plants use energy to grow and are subsequently converted into ethanol while releasing carbon dioxide—but it lacks precision and is somewhat repetitive. To reach a higher band, the response would need to present a more fully developed, clearly articulated overview of the entire circular process and expand on the specific mechanical or chemical transformations depicted in the diagram without relying on repetitive concluding statements.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a recognizable progression from the beginning of the cycle to its conclusion. Paragraphing is attempted, though it is somewhat fragmented, with very short paragraphs that disrupt the flow. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'After this', and 'Also' are used, but they tend to be mechanical and repetitive, leading to a choppy reading experience. Additionally, referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the ambiguous pronoun use in 'andthese vehicles produce carbon dioxide'. To achieve a higher standard, the writer needs to improve paragraph structure by grouping related stages together logically and using a wider, more natural variety of cohesive links to ensure smoother transitions between ideas.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying basic concepts related to the process, such as 'sunlight', 'harvested', 'cellulose', 'factories', and 'microbes'. However, the range is limited, and there are noticeable errors in word choice, word form, and collocation, such as 'cutting plants' instead of 'cut plants' and 'transfered' instead of 'transferred'. There are also awkward phrasings like 'some little microbes added in the sugar via different techniques'. These lexical inaccuracies do not severely impede communication, but they prevent the response from achieving a higher band. To improve, the writer should incorporate less common lexical items accurately and pay closer attention to standard collocations and word forms associated with process descriptions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentence forms, demonstrating basic control over sentence structure. However, there are frequent grammatical errors in verb forms, prepositions, and article usage, such as 'how a biofuel called ethanol is produced' (which is acceptable, but followed by errors like 'cut itinto small pieces' and 'carbon dioxide again used the plants'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, evident in run-on phrasing like 'In aeroplans, trucks and cars andthese vehicles'. While these errors rarely impede overall communication, they occur regularly throughout the text. To reach the next level, the writer needs to produce a greater proportion of error-free sentences and demonstrate better control over complex grammatical structures and prepositional patterns.

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