Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-09

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 illustrates the process of producing ethanol which is a type of biofule

overall the process of consists of serval stages begining the growth of plants and trees and ending with the use of ethanol as a fule for transportation it is acycle process because carbon dioxide released into atmosphere is absorbed by plants during their growth

plants and trees grow by using sunlight once have fully grown they are harvested and sent for pre processing pant materaill convert into cellulose

the cellulose undergoes the further processing to produce sugars microbes then added to these sugares resulting the process of ethenol is used as biofule for various forms of transportation including cars lorries and aircraft

finally carbon dioxide is released during the use of this fule this gas is abosorbesd by the growing plants and trees .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main stages and provide a relevant overview: the process begins with plant growth, ends with ethanol being used for transport, and forms a cycle through carbon dioxide returning to plants. The sequence from harvesting and pre-processing to cellulose, sugars and the addition of microbes is also reported. However, some details are less fully explained: the diagram shows ethanol being used by cars, trucks and aircraft, with carbon dioxide released from each, but this link could be described more precisely. The response also falls 12 words short of the required 150, so it does not fully meet the task’s length requirement. Adding a little more accurate detail about the transport and emissions stage would strengthen the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable overall structure, moving from an overview to the growth and processing stages, then to transport and the return of carbon dioxide. This makes the process broadly understandable. However, the paragraphing and progression are not consistently clear: the final stages are compressed into one long sentence, and the transition from sugars to ethanol is difficult to follow. Linking expressions such as “once” and “finally” help, but connections between steps are sometimes missing or awkward. Use separate, clearly organised paragraphs for the overview and the sequence of stages, and connect each stage explicitly—for example, “The cellulose is then processed into sugars, to which microbes are added.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “harvested,” “cellulose,” “microbes,” and “transportation,” which helps convey the subject. However, the range is limited and several spelling errors make the writing less clear, including “biofule,” “materaill,” “sugares,” and “abosorbesd.” Some word combinations are also imprecise: “the process of ethanol is used” does not clearly describe the production or use of ethanol, and “fuel for transportation” could be made more specific. Aim to use accurate process terms consistently and check spelling carefully. More precise choices such as “converted into,” “fermented,” and “emissions” would help describe the stages and their outcomes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a useful overview sentence explaining that the process is cyclical. However, some sentence structures are incomplete or faulty, which sometimes makes relationships between stages unclear. For example, “once have fully grown they are harvested” is missing a subject after “once,” while “microbes then added” needs a passive verb form. The opening overview also has an awkward construction in “the process of consists of.” Sentence boundaries and punctuation need attention, particularly where several stages are joined together. Practise forming accurate passive sentences, such as “The plants are harvested” and “Microbes are then added to the sugars,” and check that each clause has a clear subject and verb.

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