Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-06

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 4.5)

The process diagram gives the 10 steps of a biofuel calles ethanol is produced.

Overall, the biofuel production is start plants and trees grow to include sunlight+carbon dioxide to trees for growth, and after 7 gruops added then produce, Ethanol to three different stages like car, truck and plane to made carbon+dioxide.

The maine point is to ethanol is made to tress to transfer for harvesting plants to counvert nest stages pre-processing after that cellulose are made different liyars.

furthermore, processing stages to produces sugar and the last stage to miicrobes added to finaly, maine things are Ethanol. but addiantionly ethanol produce three different catigroes,carbon+dioxide

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, coming in at only 105 words. As a result, the task is addressed only minimally and tangentially. While the student attempts to describe the process of ethanol production, the information is presented in a fragmented, highly repetitive, and confusing manner. Key stages of the process, such as pre-processing, cellulose extraction, and the addition of microbes, are mentioned disjointedly without a clear or accurate overview of the entire cycle. The relationship between the steps and the carbon dioxide release is obscured by severe linguistic limitations. To reach a higher level, the writer must ensure the response exceeds the minimum word length, presents a clear overall summary of the diagram, and accurately recounts the sequential steps without severe omissions or confusion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

Information and ideas are not arranged coherently in this response. The text is broken into short, disjointed paragraphs that fail to establish a logical progression or clear overall structure. While the student attempts to use transition markers like 'overall', 'furthermore', and 'after that', these cohesive devices are used mechanically and inaccurately, often disrupting the flow rather than guiding the reader. Referencing is extremely unclear, making it difficult to follow how the stages of the diagram connect to one another. To improve, the writer needs to group related information logically, use a standard introduction and overview format, and employ cohesive devices naturally to create a smooth, unified progression of ideas throughout the text.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, significantly straining the reader's understanding. There are frequent lexical errors and inappropriate word choices, such as writing 'calle' instead of 'called', 'gruops' for groups, and 'catigroes' for categories. The student attempts to use less common terms related to the diagram like 'pre-processing', 'cellulose', and 'microbes', but these terms are often embedded in ungrammatical or confusing phrasing. Spelling and word-form errors occur throughout the text. To achieve a higher score, the writer must expand their vocabulary range, learn the correct collocations and word forms for scientific or process-based descriptions, and carefully check spelling to ensure communication is not impeded.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The grammatical range is very limited, consisting primarily of simple structures and failed attempts at complex sentences. Errors are frequent and often distort the intended meaning. For example, clauses are improperly linked, as seen in 'the biofuel production is start plants and trees grow', and verb forms are frequently mishandled ('is made to tress to transfer'). Punctuation is also poorly controlled, leading to run-on thoughts and fragmented sentence boundaries. To improve, the writer needs to practice basic sentence construction, ensure proper subject-verb agreement, and gain control over active and passive voice structures which are essential for describing mechanical or biological processes accurately.

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