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 presents the process by which biofuel are made is also called ethanol production.

Overall, the process of producing ethanol consists of several main stages, which starts with obtain energy and these are the trees that obtain energy. The process ends with adding microbes to get the ethanol. During the process there are other steps need to be done to get the final outcome such as harvesting, adding cellulose,sugars.

At the beginning of the process, trees obatin engergy which is a combination of sunlight and carbon dioxide. Then, farmers cut off the plants and bring them for pre-processing. After that , cellulose are added to the mixtures and process it well.

And then, sugars and microbes are added with the mixtures which is produce after adding cellulose. And finally the ethanol are made. The ethanol are used in many kind of vehicles such as car, truck, plane and so on. The vehicles reduce carbon dioxide which again used for making energy.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the subject as ethanol production and include several relevant stages, from plant growth and harvesting to processing, microbes, and transport use. However, the account only partially represents the diagram: the overview says the process ends with microbes being added, although ethanol is produced after this, and the important circular feature—carbon dioxide from transport returning to support plant growth—is only briefly and imprecisely mentioned. Some details are also inaccurate: cellulose and sugars are outputs of stages, not materials simply “added,” and the diagram does not say farmers cut the plants. To improve, give a clear overview of the full cycle and describe each conversion accurately, including the role of microbes and the carbon-dioxide loop.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an introduction and overview to a description of the stages and then the uses of ethanol. Sequencing words such as “At the beginning,” “Then,” and “finally” help the reader follow the general order. However, progression is weakened by repetition and unclear links: the overview lists stages, then the body repeats them, while “And then, sugars and microbes are added with the mixtures” does not clearly show which stage produces what. The final sentence also compresses the carbon-dioxide cycle into an unclear link. Organise the process in distinct chronological steps and use precise references such as “this material” or “the resulting sugars” to make connections clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “microbes,” and “ethanol,” so the topic is recognisable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which makes parts of the process difficult to interpret. For example, “cellulose are added to the mixtures” and “sugars and microbes are added with the mixtures” do not describe the diagram precisely; “cut off the plants” is also an unsuitable description of harvesting. There are noticeable spelling errors, including “obatin” and “engergy,” and repeated use of general words such as “process” and “made.” Build a more precise process vocabulary, using verbs such as “harvest,” “convert,” and “release.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple sentences and longer structures, including “which is a combination of sunlight and carbon dioxide” and “which is produce after adding cellulose.” However, complex sentences are often faulty, and errors in agreement and verb forms occur frequently enough to affect clarity. Examples include “biofuel are made,” “which starts with obtain energy,” “cellulose are added,” and “the ethanol are made.” The sentence beginning “The process of producing ethanol consists…” also shifts awkwardly between singular and plural ideas. Use a consistent present simple for process descriptions, check subject–verb agreement, and form clauses carefully—for example, “the sugars produced after processing are mixed with microbes.” Punctuation spacing also needs attention.

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