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 flowchart illustrates the manufacturing process of ethanol which is a biofuel.

Overall, the process is completed in four major step including: harvesting of plants and trees, pre-processing, processing, and microbes addition to provide ethanol. This fuel is then used in various vehicles, which in result releases carbondioxide.

To commence with, the plants and trees utilize carbondioxide and sunlight to produce energy, which is used for growth. These grown plants and trees are then harvested with the help of suitable trucks. The next step, called pre-processing, involves the passing the harvested plants through an instrument to make small fragments.

The cellulose present in these fragments is then processed in laboratories. After that, some sugars are added into it, followed by the addition of microorganisms. This final addition results in the formation of ethanol, which is used in cars, lorries, and airplanes. These vehicles, in result, release carbondioxide which is used by plants as a source of energy to grow. In this way, this cycle continues.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing an overview of the process and reporting the main stages from plant growth to ethanol production and its subsequent release of carbon dioxide. The progression is clearly outlined, satisfying the core requirements of academic task 1. However, some parts of the description are slightly under-developed; for example, the specific chemical transformations or detailed inputs like sunlight and carbon dioxide at the start could be integrated more fluidly with the subsequent stages. While the key features of the diagram are captured, a bit more depth in describing how the cyclical nature operates would elevate the response to a higher level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression from the initial stages of the cycle to the final use of ethanol. Paragraphing is used adequately to divide the introduction, overview, and specific steps of the process. Cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'The next step', and 'After that' are employed to guide the reader through the sequence, though referencing and linking occasionally feel slightly mechanical rather than entirely natural. To achieve a higher standard, the transitions between sentences could be smoothed out to ensure seamless flow without relying heavily on formulaic transition markers.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying the steps in the biofuel production process with terms such as 'manufacturing process', 'fragments', 'cellulose', and 'microorganisms'. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, but there are instances of awkward word choice and spelling issues, such as writing 'carbondioxide' as a single unspaced word and 'step' instead of 'steps' in plural contexts ('four major step'). These lexical inaccuracies do not impede communication, but they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Incorporating more precise collocation and error-free spelling of technical terms would strengthen this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over relative clauses ('which is a biofuel', 'which are used in various vehicles') and prepositional phrases. There are some errors in grammar, such as article omission ('involves the passing the harvested plants') and preposition use ('in result' instead of 'as a result'). However, these errors are relatively infrequent and rarely impede communication. To reach a higher standard, the writer needs to produce a greater variety of error-free complex structures and refine minor grammatical details like articles and prepositional patterns.

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