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 cyclical process and provide data by selecting and reporting the major features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Overall, it is a cyclical process that have few main stages, beginning from plants consume energy from sunlight and carbon dioxide, ending with utilize ethanol in vehicles that again discharge carbon dioxide and plants again use this carbon dioxide.

First, plants and tress consume energy from sunlight and carbon dioxide and grows, while harvesting of these plants by farmers with a tractor mechine, followed by this step, tiny pieces of plants and trees delivered to pre processing mechine where these plants and trees convert into cellulose, that further delivered to laboratories for further process and convert into sugar molecules, followed by this step, added some microbes in suger particals that make ethanol in the last stage.

After making the ethanol, this utilize in different vehicles such as, cars, truck, and even also in airplanes that discharge carbon dioxide again that enter in air again and become useful again for gowth of plants and trees.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main stages and the cyclical nature of the process, including plant growth, harvesting, conversion to cellulose and sugars, the addition of microbes, ethanol production, and carbon dioxide returning to support plant growth. This gives the reader a relevant account of the diagram. However, some details are less fully or clearly reported: for example, the diagram labels the conversion stages as “pre-processing” and “processing,” but the response adds that the material is delivered to “laboratories,” which is not shown. The overview also says the process ends with ethanol use in vehicles, although the cycle continues as carbon dioxide returns to the plants. Make the overview more precise and distinguish the diagram’s labelled stages from inferred details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall shape: an overview is followed by the production stages and then the use of ethanol and return of carbon dioxide. Sequencing expressions such as “First,” “followed by this step,” and “After making the ethanol” help show the order. However, the first process paragraph places many stages in one long sentence, so the relationships between steps become difficult to follow. Some linking phrases are also repetitive, and “this” in “this utilize” does not refer clearly to a grammatical subject. Use shorter sentences or separate paragraphs for plant preparation, conversion, and fuel use, and vary the transitions so that cohesion feels less mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “cyclical process,” “cellulose,” “microbes,” and “carbon dioxide,” which helps communicate the subject. There is also some attempt to describe the stages with terms such as “convert” and “discharge.” However, several word choices and spelling errors reduce precision, including “tress,” “mechine,” “suger particals,” and “gowth.” Some phrases are awkward or imprecise, such as “consume energy” for plants and “laboratories” for the processing facility. Aim for accurate process collocations and check spelling carefully; this would make the account clearer and more natural without requiring unusually advanced vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, using clauses with “while” and “that,” as well as sequencing structures. The overall meaning is generally recoverable, but errors in agreement, verb forms, articles, and sentence construction are persistent enough to limit accuracy. For example, “the process … have” should use a singular verb, and “plants and trees … grows” should be “grow.” The opening sentence also combines the task instruction with the description, producing an awkward structure. Long sentences such as the one beginning “First, plants and tress…” contain several clauses without clear grammatical control. Build accuracy with shorter sentences, then check subject–verb agreement and consistent verb forms.

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