Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-02

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 6.5)

The provided flowchart illustrates how ethanol is made by trees and plants using different biological and chemical procedures.

Overall, the process consists of seven distinct steps, starting with the cultivation of plants and trees and ending on production of ethanol by adding microbes into the sugar, which is ultimately used as a fuel for different vehicles.

The plants and trees have been grown which utilize sunlight and carbon dioxide as energy followed by harvestation with the help of a machine. After that, cellulose is made mechanically without processing the plants. Then cellulose is processed in the science lab using different chemicals to form sugar crystals.

In the final stages, microbes are added in the sugar to make a biofuel called ethanol which is used as fuel in cars, heavy vehicles, and aeroplanes. These transport systems release carbon dioxide in the environment which is again used by plants as a energy source. This is how this carbon dioxide cycle continues.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main features of the ethanol production process and explaining the carbon dioxide cycle. An overview is provided, noting the seven-step process and its ultimate use as vehicle fuel. However, some aspects of the process are slightly over-generalized or contain minor inaccuracies compared to the visual data, such as claiming cellulose is made 'without processing the plants' when pre-processing occurs first. To reach a higher band, the summary would need more precise tracking of every intermediate stage without minor inaccuracies in interpreting the diagram's sequence.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression from the cultivation of plants to the final fuel usage and carbon dioxide release. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, overview, body details, and conclusion of the process. Cohesive devices are employed reasonably well to guide the reader through the cycle, using phrases such as 'Overall', 'After that', 'Then', and 'In the final stages'. While referencing is generally clear, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. To achieve a higher level of cohesion, the flow between sentences could be made more seamless and varied without relying heavily on standard sequence markers.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the biological and chemical processes with reasonable clarity. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, such as 'cultivation', 'cellulose', and 'microbes'. However, some word choice and word formation inaccuracies occur, such as using 'harvestation' instead of 'harvesting' or 'science lab' which sounds overly informal for an academic task. Spelling and word choice errors do not impede communication, but they restrict the lexical score. Incorporating more precise, natural academic collocations would elevate this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The text displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating a decent attempt at structuring complex ideas, as seen in relative clauses like 'which utilize sunlight and carbon dioxide'. There are some grammatical errors, such as passive voice awkwardness in 'The plants and trees have been grown which utilize' and article misuse in 'in the environment'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, and errors rarely impede communication, meeting the requirements of a solid mix of structures. To move further up, the student needs to produce a higher frequency of error-free complex sentences and maintain tighter control over verb tenses and passive voice constructions.

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