Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The diagram illustates the production of a biofuel known as ethanol.

Overall, the process starts with planting trees and then after harvesting, several techniques were applied that eventually results in the production of ethanol.

Firstly, plants were grown in a soil and then by utlizing energy (sunlight and carbon dioxide) from the atmosphere, it grows into trees. Trees were harvested and moved to next stage for pre-processing, where cellulose is extracted from the trees. Now the stage comes where major processing takes place. This stage results into the formation of sugar molecules.

These sugar molecules in the next stage converted into some tiny microbes. Several microbes that are added resultantly become the cause of ethanol production. This biofuel is then used by different vehicles such as cars, trucks and airplanes. These vehicles also emit carbon dioxide which is again used in the production of ethanol and the cycle continues to function.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response identifies the diagram as a production cycle and includes the main stages from plant growth and harvesting through processing, sugar formation, ethanol production and vehicle use. The overview also recognises that carbon dioxide returns to the cycle. Some details, however, are unclear or inaccurate: the diagram shows sunlight and carbon dioxide enabling plant growth, rather than trees being planted first and then growing through this energy; and microbes are added to sugars, not converted from the sugars. The account also omits the explicit cellulose stage as a material passed into processing and does not clearly explain that the carbon dioxide released by transport returns to the plants. The main features are covered, but these gaps and imprecisions limit the completeness of the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction and overview are followed by stages in sequence, with the final paragraph describing transport and the return of carbon dioxide. Sequencing expressions such as “Firstly,” “Now,” and “in the next stage” help the reader follow the process. However, some links between stages are not precise, particularly “sugar molecules … converted into some tiny microbes,” which makes the process relationship difficult to follow. “This stage” and “These vehicles” are understandable references, but the progression would be clearer if each stage were linked explicitly to its input and output. Use fewer conversational transitions and connect the stages with accurate process language to make cohesion more controlled.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses relevant process vocabulary, including “harvesting,” “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “molecules,” and “carbon dioxide,” so the topic is generally clear. However, the range and precision are uneven, and several choices are unnatural or imprecise for a process description. “Some tiny microbes” misrepresents the diagram, where microbes are added as an input, while “resultantly become the cause of” is wordy and awkward. There are also spelling errors in “illustates” and “utlizing,” and phrases such as “the stage comes” sound conversational. Aim for concise, accurate collocations such as “microbes are added to the sugars” and “this produces ethanol,” and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

There is an attempt to use both simple and complex sentences, including the overview clause “that eventually results in the production of ethanol” and the final sentence describing the cycle. However, errors in verb forms, agreement and sentence construction are noticeable. For example, “several techniques were applied that eventually results” shifts tense and has subject–verb disagreement; “it grows into trees” does not maintain agreement with the plural subject “plants”; and “These sugar molecules … converted” is missing an auxiliary verb. The sentence beginning “Firstly” also combines several stages in a way that weakens grammatical control. Use consistent present simple for a process diagram, check singular and plural agreement, and ensure each passive construction includes an auxiliary, as in “the sugars are converted.”

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