Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

thw diagram illustrates the stsages of how biofuel such as ethanol is produced

overall, the produced of ethanol has 10 stages in which it begins from sapling trees consuming sun energy and carbon dioxide for growth and it end up to used ethanol in car and truck

It is evident from diagram, that this process started off from obtaining energy from sun and carbon dioxide by plants and trees

for their growth. then it is harvested by farmer with the help using tructor.afterward, it is pre-processed through machine in small pieces whch become after a cellulose.subsequently it is processing

result in make sugars in very unsually form. thereafter, microbes are added to make ethanol then this ethonal is used by individual in cars and truck and the c

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response fails to meet the minimum length requirement of 150 words, containing only 128 words, which directly restricts the score. While the writer attempts to describe the process of ethanol production from the diagram, the coverage is incomplete and trails off abruptly at the end ('and the c'). The overview is very basic, stating that the process has 10 stages and ends with vehicle use, but the overall cyclical nature of the carbon dioxide absorption and release is not fully or clearly articulated. Main features are touched upon superficially, such as harvesting, pre-processing, and adding microbes, but the lack of development and the truncated ending keep the task achievement at a minimal level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response demonstrates some organisation with basic sequencing devices like 'overall', 'It is evident from diagram', 'then', and 'afterward'. However, there is no clear overall progression due to the incomplete nature of the response. Paragraphing is poorly handled, as the text is clumped into very brief, run-on blocks rather than structured paragraphs. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and cohesive devices are repetitive or inadequately used to guide the reader smoothly through the cyclical steps of the diagram. The text ultimately breaks down completely at the very end, further disrupting any sense of logical flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and minimally adequate for attempting this task, featuring frequent spelling and word-choice errors that occasionally strain communication. Examples of non-standard usage and misspellings include 'stsages', 'produced' instead of 'production', 'tructor', 'whch', 'unsually', and 'ethonal'. The writer attempts some topic-specific vocabulary such as 'harvested', 'pre-processed', 'cellulose', 'sugars', and 'microbes', but the range remains narrow and repetitive, lacking the precision and flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The grammatical range is severely limited, consisting mainly of simple structures and basic attempts at complex sentences which are frequently faulty. There are noticeable errors in verb forms, articles, and prepositions throughout, such as 'thw diagram illustrates the stsages', 'the produced of ethanol has', 'consuming sun energy', and 'with the help using tructor'. Punctuation and sentence boundaries are poorly controlled, evidenced by missing capitalisation at the start of sentences and the abrupt, unfinished sentence at the conclusion. These frequent errors cause some difficulty for the reader and reflect a weak control of basic grammatical 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.