Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The diagram explains the procedure of the production of a biofuel called ethanol.

Overall, for the production of ethanol, various kinds of procedure are done. Plants and trees are harvested and went under several processes in factories in order to get sugar compounds which further mixed with microbes to produce ethanol.

The production of ethanol begins in nature. Plants and trees grow with the help of energy produced by them in presence of sunlight and carbon dioxide. Once the plants and trees are fully grown, they are harvested and go under pre-processing to extract cellulose from them. Afterwards, cellulose is proccessed in large factories.

Compounds of sugars are made after the processing cellulose and finally microbes are added in those compounds to get ethanol as the final product. And once after the production, final product ethanol is used as fuel in various transportation vehicles for instance, in aeroplanes, trucks, cars etc. These vehicles emit carbon dioxide by burning ethanol for energy and the same carbon dioxide get mix in environment. The process keeps going same all time and production of ethanol continues.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main stages of the ethanol production cycle. An overview is provided at the beginning, noting that plants and trees are harvested and processed to extract sugar compounds, which are then mixed with microbes. The main features are selected and reported accurately, such as the initial growth supported by sunlight and carbon dioxide, the pre-processing and cellulose extraction, and the final use of ethanol in transport vehicles that release carbon dioxide back into the environment. However, certain aspects are slightly under-developed; for instance, the explanation of the carbon dioxide cycle at the end could be more precisely integrated with the diagram details. To reach a higher level, the response would need to extend the discussion of each phase with more precise detail and a fully developed overview that captures the cyclical nature even more explicitly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response maintains a coherent overall arrangement and logical progression throughout the text. Information is organised into clear paragraphs, starting with an introductory sentence, followed by an overview, and then detailed body paragraphs that follow the chronological and cyclical flow of the diagram. Cohesive devices such as 'Once', 'Afterwards', and 'Finally' are used to guide the reader through the stages of the process. While referencing and paragraphing are generally adequate, some cohesive ties feel slightly mechanical, and the transitional links between the transport emission stage and the natural cycle could be smoother. To achieve a higher standard, the use of referencing could be more sophisticated, ensuring that every transition flows naturally without relying on repetitive sentence openings.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully communicating the main features of the diagram with terms such as 'harvested', 'pre-processing', 'cellulose', 'microbes', and 'transportation vehicles'. There are, however, noticeable lexical inaccuracies and spelling slips, such as 'proccessed' instead of 'processed' and awkward phrasing like 'went under several processes' instead of 'underwent several processes' or 'were subjected to several processes'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive, with attempts at less common lexical items showing occasional errors in word choice and collocation. To improve in this area, the student should incorporate a wider variety of precise, task-appropriate vocabulary and ensure correct spelling and word forms throughout.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating relative clauses and passive constructions such as 'cellulose is proccessed' and 'microbes are added'. There are some non-systematic errors in grammar and punctuation, particularly regarding verb forms and prepositions, such as 'went under' instead of 'underwent', 'in presence' instead of 'in the presence', and 'get mix' instead of 'get mixed'. However, these errors are relatively infrequent and rarely impede communication. To reach the next level, the writer needs to increase the frequency of error-free complex sentences and demonstrate tighter control over articles, prepositions, and passive verb structures.

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