Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)
The given diagram illustrates the how to produce ethanol in biofuel production step by step.
Overall, it can be seen that the process of biofuel production is complex process involving many steps. The process begins with the harvesting of palnts and trees and ends with the final product ethanol which is used as fuel to operate vehicles like cars and trucks.
In the first stage of the process, mature palnts and trees are havested by use of tractor to be pre-processed in machine to produce the celllose which is natural subtance that forms the cell walls of plants. In the next step, the cellulose is processed in the lab by breaking it into the simple sugars through chemical breakdown process.
After this, microbes are added which converted sugar into the ethanol through biological process. Next, the ethanol is used as fuel, flammable organic compound which provide power to engines of like- cars, aircraft and trucks. These vehicles produce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which provides energy to plants and trees with sunlight.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main stages of the ethanol production cycle shown in the diagram. An overview is provided, noting that the process is complex and begins with harvesting and ends with fuel usage in vehicles. However, certain aspects are somewhat under-developed or lack full elaboration, such as the exact cycling of carbon dioxide back to the plants and trees, which is only touched upon briefly at the very end. The selection of key features is generally relevant, though the development of ideas remains slightly limited in places, reflecting a competent but not fully comprehensive overview of the visual data.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The text exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a clear progression from the beginning to the end of the biofuel lifecycle. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, the overview, the pre-processing and cellulose stages, and finally the conversion into ethanol and its subsequent use. Cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader through the steps, using words such as "Overall", "In the first stage", "In the next step", and "After this". However, some referencing and transitional links feel slightly mechanical or repetitive, preventing the flow from reaching a more natural and sophisticated level of cohesion.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
An adequate range of vocabulary is deployed for the task, allowing the writer to describe technical concepts like "cellulose", "natural substance", and "flammable organic compound". There are noticeable spelling and word choice errors, such as "palnts" instead of plants, "havested" instead of harvested, "subtance" instead of substance, and "converted" instead of convert. Despite these inaccuracies in spelling and occasional lexical slips, meaning is generally conveyed clearly without severely impeding communication, demonstrating a mix of standard and attempted less common vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses ("which is natural subtance that forms..." and "which provide power..."). However, control over grammar and punctuation is inconsistent, with several errors including missing articles ("illustrates the how to produce", "in machine", "in lab"), prepositions, and minor agreement issues. While these errors do not heavily impede understanding, they occur with enough frequency across complex clauses to keep the control below the level required for higher bands.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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