Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-07

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 illustrates a circular process that highlights how ethanol is produced. Overall, the production contains several steps, starting from the energy which is required for plants followed by it's pre-processing, lab processing and then releasing as carbon dioxide from the vehicles.

Starting from the energy in the air which is the combination of sunlight and carbon dioxide from which plants and trees grow, trees are later harvested and sent for pre processing via a trackter. Before sending it for lab processing a chemical named cellulose is added. After processing it forms sugar molecules.

In the post processing, Microbes are later added into the sugar which was formed after processing. Finally from that microbes. ethanol is produced, which then used as a medium of fuel in small to large vehicles such as car, truck or aeroplane. From those vehicles, carbon dioxide is produced by the burning of fuel, that carbon dioxide is then combined again with sunlight and the whole process repeats itself.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the diagram as a circular process and cover its main stages, from plant growth and harvesting through processing, microbial action, ethanol use and carbon-dioxide release. The overview also recognises that the cycle repeats, which captures an important feature. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate: cellulose is not added as a chemical; it is the material produced after pre-processing. The account also says the carbon dioxide is combined with sunlight, whereas the diagram shows sunlight and carbon dioxide as inputs that support plant growth. The stages are generally relevant, but the transformation from cellulose to sugars and the role of microbes could be explained more precisely. This gives a sound account of the process, though not all features are equally clear or fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall sequence, and the paragraphing separates the initial stages from later processing and fuel use. Sequencing expressions such as “Starting from,” “Before,” “After processing,” and “Finally” help the reader follow the cycle. The overview also gives the response a useful starting point. Some links, however, are mechanical or confusing: “In the post processing” is not a clear transition, and “Finally from that microbes” interrupts the progression rather than connecting the ideas smoothly. References such as “it” and “that carbon dioxide” are not always precise, so the reader must infer what they refer to. More direct links between each stage, with clearer referencing, would make the progression more consistently controlled.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a relevant range of process vocabulary, including “harvested,” “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “microbes,” and “fuel,” and the main meaning is generally understandable. There are also attempts at more specific description, such as “sugar molecules” and “medium of fuel.” However, some choices are inaccurate or unnatural for this process: “a chemical named cellulose is added” misrepresents the diagram, while “lab processing” and “medium of fuel” are not suitable collocations. Spelling errors such as “trackter” and inconsistent forms such as “pre processing” also reduce precision. Aim for accurate process terms and natural collocations; this will make the description clearer without requiring more elaborate vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including clauses beginning “which” and “Before sending it…,” and most stages can still be understood. However, some sentence structures are incomplete or awkward, notably “Finally from that microbes. ethanol is produced,” which is a fragment, and “which then used as a medium of fuel,” which lacks the auxiliary verb “is.” There are also errors in agreement and verb form, as in “the production contains” and “the whole process repeats itself” after a plural subject, as well as the incorrect possessive in “it's pre-processing.” These errors do not usually prevent understanding, but they limit accuracy. Check sentence completeness, auxiliary verbs, and agreement when revising.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.