Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-08

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 diagram illustrate the cyclic process of how wthanol a biofuel , is produced

Overall, system consisting of eight main stages, begining with plant and tree growth and ending is prduction and use to ethanol , with carbon dioxide being recycled throughout.

Initailly, plant and tree grow by observing energy from sunloght, carbon dioxide they are harvesting by machine. the harvest material is the sent for pre processing where it is broken down smaller piece and cellulose is extracted This cellulose undegroes firther chemical processing in a factory to produced sugars.

In the next stage , microbes are added to the sugar which then ferment and produced ethanol this ethanol is the final product and camn be used as a fuel for various type of transport, including cars, lorries and aeroplanes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process as cyclical and describe the main sequence from plant growth through processing to ethanol and transport use. The overview also notes carbon dioxide recycling, which is a central feature. However, the account is incomplete: it does not explain that carbon dioxide released by the vehicles returns to support plant growth, and it says the process ends with ethanol production and use, which understates the cycle. Some details are unclear or unsupported, such as saying the material is broken into smaller pieces and cellulose is extracted. The response is also 19 words below the required minimum, limiting the detail available. To improve, describe the return loop explicitly and cover each key stage more accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an opening, an overview, and two paragraphs that follow the production sequence. Sequencing phrases such as “Initially” and “In the next stage” help the reader follow the stages, and the progression from plant growth to transport use is generally logical. This coherent structure is a strength. However, some links between steps are abrupt, and the overview’s claim that the process ends with fuel use conflicts with the circular process described later. Punctuation and spacing are also inconsistent, which interrupts the flow. To strengthen cohesion, use clearer links between the stages and add a final sentence explaining how carbon dioxide from transport returns to the plants.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “chemical processing,” “sugars,” “microbes,” and “carbon dioxide,” so the topic is recognisable. There are also attempts at more specific terms such as “ferment.” However, spelling errors are frequent, including “wthanol,” “Initailly,” “sunloght,” and “undegroes,” and several word choices or forms are inaccurate: “observing energy” does not express how plants use sunlight, while “produced ethanol” is not the intended form. Phrases such as “various type of transport” are also imprecise. These issues make the vocabulary range seem limited and can slow understanding. Check spelling carefully and learn accurate process collocations, such as “absorb sunlight” and “is converted into.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a relative clause in “the sugar which then ferment” and a passive construction in “microbes are added.” The sequence is usually understandable, but grammatical control is weak: the opening has faulty agreement (“diagram illustrate”), and the overview contains an incomplete construction (“system consisting of eight main stages”) and an incorrect verb pattern (“ending is prduction”). There are also errors in articles, plurals, and verb forms, as in “plant and tree grow” and “to produced sugars.” Punctuation and sentence boundaries are inconsistent, particularly where clauses run together. Practise accurate present-simple descriptions and passive forms, and proofread each sentence for a complete subject–verb structure.

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