Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The provided diagram illustrate that how ethanol is produced from biofuel.

The given diagram of biofuel production shows that how ethanol is made. Furthermore, plants and trees need energy and sunlight and carbon dioxide for the growth of wheat and other crops. Moreover, crops go through the process of harvesting and then goes to the pre processing. Well, after the preprocessing cellulose is made and it send to the processing again. After this processing, sugar is made. To continue this process microbes are added. After all of this process ethanol is produced. Ethanol plays a vital role in machinery field to produce carbon dioxide. For instance, Ethanol is used for the fueling of cars, trucks and airplane which release carbon dioxide. This is the recycle process because it release carbon dioxide and again plants and other trees get this carbon dioxide for their further production. It is the continue recycling process.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response attempts to cover the main stages of the ethanol production process, but the information is presented in a repetitive and partially underdeveloped manner. For instance, the opening sentences redundantly state the prompt twice ('The provided diagram illustrate that how... The given diagram... shows that how...'). While you have identified key phases such as harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose creation, and the addition of microbes, the description lacks a clear overview of the overall cycle. To move to a higher band, you need to select and report the main features more concisely, avoiding repetitive statements, and provide a clearer summary of how the continuous cycle operates without getting bogged down in repetitive phrasing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response shows some basic organisation and attempts to link stages chronologically using cohesive devices like 'Furthermore', 'Moreover', and 'After this processing'. However, there is no clear overall progression or paragraph structure; the entire text is lumped into a single block of writing, which makes the layout difficult to follow. Additionally, cohesive devices are sometimes mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent start of sentences with 'After'. Progression stalls because ideas circle back on themselves rather than advancing the narrative logically. To improve cohesion, you should break your response into well-defined paragraphs—such as an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs detailing the stages—and use a wider, more natural variety of linking words.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, but the range is limited and contains noticeable errors that occasionally hinder communication. You attempt some less common vocabulary items like 'preprocessing' and 'machinery field', but there are issues with word choice and collocation, such as using 'machinery field' instead of the transport or industrial sector, and repetitive use of basic words like 'process' and 'made'. Furthermore, there are direct translation style errors such as 'fueling of cars' rather than powering or fueling vehicles. To achieve a higher band, you need to expand your lexical range by incorporating precise, topic-specific vocabulary and synonyms to describe manufacturing cycles without relying on repetitive terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The text displays a limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences joined by basic conjunctions. When you attempt more complex forms, they often contain grammatical errors, such as embedded question structures ('illustrate that how ethanol is produced' and 'shows that how ethanol is made'), which are grammatically incorrect. There are also errors with subject-verb agreement and prepositions, such as 'trees need energy and sunlight and carbon dioxide for the growth', 'goes to the pre processing', and 'it send to the processing again' (where 'send' should be 'sent'). Frequent errors in basic grammar and verb forms cause some difficulty for the reader. To improve, you need to work on controlling basic clause structures, ensuring correct verb forms, and eliminating recurring grammatical mistakes.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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