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 diagram illustrate the process of producing ethanol, a type of biofuel, from plants.

Overall, ethanol production involves several stages, beginning with the growth of plants and ending with the transportation of the finished fuel. The main stages are harvesting, processing, purification and transportation.

First, plants such as are grown and once they are ready, they are harvested and taken to a processing plant. Here, the plant material is crushed into small pieces. Water is then added to the crushed material, and it is cook for a certain period.

After cooking, the mixture is fermented. During this stage, microorganisms convert the sugars in the mixture into ethanol. The fermented mixtures is then separate and purifie to produce ethanol fuel. Finally, the finished ethanol is stored and transported to different locations for use and the process is a linear sequence in which plant material is gradually transformed into usable ethanol through cooking, fermentation and purification.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses the task only partially. While the student attempts to describe the process of biofuel production, the summary misses key features shown in the source diagram, such as the cyclic nature of carbon dioxide absorption and release, and the role of sunlight and pre-processing stages like cellulose breakdown. Furthermore, there are gaps and inaccuracies in reporting the sequence, such as introducing steps like 'cooking' and 'purification' which are not explicitly labelled or described in the provided visual data in that manner. Ideas are limited and under-developed, and the overview at the end contradicts the initial description by claiming the process is a linear sequence when it is actually part of a larger ecological cycle.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt at paragraphing, separating the introduction, overview, and body details. Cohesive devices are used to signal progression, such as 'First', 'After cooking', and 'Finally'. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical, and referencing is not always clear, as seen in the fragmented sentence 'First, plants such as are grown and once they are ready...' where information is missing. The logical progression is also slightly disrupted by contradictory statements regarding whether the process is linear or cyclic, preventing the response from achieving a higher level of organization.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, providing an acceptable range of words to discuss a technical process, such as 'harvested', 'fermented', 'microorganisms', and 'transported'. However, there is a limited range of less common lexical items, and noticeable errors in word form and spelling impede clarity at times, such as 'fermented mixtures is then separate and purifie' and 'it is cook'. These errors cause some difficulty for the reader and show inconsistent control over word forms and verb-adjective pairings when attempting to describe technical actions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some capability to construct multi-clause sentences. However, there are frequent errors in grammar, agreement, and verb forms that can cause difficulty for the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues like 'The diagram illustrate', tense and form errors such as 'it is cook', and passive voice errors like 'The fermented mixtures is then separate and purifie'. Punctuation and structural control are inconsistent, particularly in compound-complex sentences, keeping the control of grammar within the mid-range descriptor.

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