Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-05

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 figure illustrates that how a biofuel production is called ethanol.

Overall, the diagram tells the whole process of production of ethanol which is faces many stages to reach their actual situation which production process starts from energy like sunlight and carbon dioxide and ends at their use in cars and many more.

To begin with energy from sunlight and carbon dioxide which is very useful for the plants and trees growth, then these plants and trees are harvested and then these are move on gadget for pre processing. After pre processing these are converted into cellulose which is also move on lab processing.

Moreover, cellulose after the lab processing are change into sugars then they obtain a form of microbs. Finally, these whole process are converted into actual ethanol form which is use as fuel in cars, trucks and aeroplanes then they after using form a carbon dioxide in the air then the whole process are recycled.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main stages of how ethanol is produced from energy and plants, and its eventual consumption. However, some aspects of the process are described rather vaguely or with underdeveloped detail, such as mentioning "gadget for pre processing" rather than clearly summarizing the key features shown in the diagram. An overview is present at the beginning, noting that the cycle starts with energy and ends with vehicle use and recycling back to carbon dioxide, but the overall summary lacks complete precision regarding the cyclical nature of the process. To reach a higher level, the response would need to select and report the main features more fully and extend the description of each key phase with greater clarity and accuracy.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement, dividing the text into a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs that follow the chronological steps of the diagram. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or faulty. For instance, linking phrases such as "To begin with", "Moreover", and "Finally" are used to structure the text, but referencing within and between sentences is occasionally unclear, as seen in repetitive use of phrases like "these plants" and "these whole process". Paragraphing is attempted, but the logical progression within sentences is disrupted by awkward transitions. To improve, the writer should employ a wider and more natural range of cohesive devices and ensure that referencing pronouns and demonstratives clearly link ideas without repetition.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and barely adequate for the task. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary related to the process, such as "cellulose", "sugars", and "microbes", but there are frequent word choice and word form errors that impede natural expression. Examples include phrases like "a biofuel production is called ethanol", "move on gadget", "lab processing", and "microbs". Spelling and word formation inaccuracies also occur, such as "microbs" instead of microbes and "whole process are converted" showing confusion with word forms and collocations. To achieve a higher band, the writer needs to expand their lexical repertoire, use precise domain-specific terms accurately, and ensure correct word forms and collocations throughout.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, attempting relative clauses and multi-clause sentences, such as "the diagram tells the whole process of production of ethanol which is faces many stages". However, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation, including issues with subject-verb agreement ("the whole process are recycled"), incorrect passive and active voice pairings ("is called ethanol"), missing articles, and awkward prepositional usage ("in the air then the whole process"). Although these errors rarely impede overall communication entirely, they persist throughout the text and demonstrate limited control over complex grammatical structures. To progress, the writer must focus on sentence boundaries, accurate verb tense consistency, and correct subject-verb agreement.

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