Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 provided illustration displays the process in which ethanol is produced.

Overall, it is a cyclical process consisting of multiple steps. initially, the trees grow through exposuring to sunlight and carbon dioxide as they are essential for growing of trees and ends by formulation of ethanol.

Turning to developing of trees, with these two fundemental exposures, tress become mature. Next, harvesting starts, once the plants have been harvested, they are gone through pre-processing in a special machine to form cellulose. After that, the process is taken place in a special laboratory to make liquids and to extract sugar structures.

After sugers have been extracted, microbes are added in such laboratories to make ethanol . This procedure is made through carbon dioxide that is made via some transport facilities such as cars, tracks and aircrafts which return to affect the trees again to start the process from the beginning. Thus, this process is naturally happend.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the diagram as a cyclical process and cover the main sequence from plant growth and harvesting through cellulose, sugars, microbes and ethanol. You also recognise that carbon dioxide from transport returns to support plant growth, which captures the cycle’s key feature. However, some details are unclear or not supported by the diagram: it does not specify a “special laboratory,” and the description of carbon dioxide being “made via” transport facilities obscures that it is released by the vehicles. The overview also says the process ends with ethanol, although the diagram continues through its use as fuel and the return of carbon dioxide. Clarifying these stages and describing the cycle more precisely would strengthen the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction and overview are followed by stages in sequence, with transitions such as “Next,” “After that” and “After” helping the reader follow the process. The circular relationship is also returned to in the final sentence. However, some links between ideas are awkward or unclear. For example, “This procedure is made through carbon dioxide” does not clearly connect the addition of microbes to the transport stage, and “Thus, this process is naturally happend” does not provide a clear concluding point. The overview’s claim that the process “ends” with ethanol also conflicts with the later description of the cycle. Use clearer stage-to-stage links and ensure the overview matches the sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “harvesting,” “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “microbes” and “ethanol,” which helps convey the stages. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “cyclical process” and “fundamental exposures.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, sometimes making the process difficult to understand: “exposuring to sunlight,” “formulation of ethanol,” “make liquids,” and “made through carbon dioxide.” Spelling errors such as “fundemental,” “tress,” “sugers” and “happend” further reduce precision. Choose direct process verbs and check spelling—for example, “plants absorb sunlight,” “sugars are produced,” and “ethanol is used as fuel.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a time clause in “once the plants have been harvested” and a subordinate clause beginning “After sugars have been extracted.” The sequence is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors affect clarity. For example, “trees grow … and ends” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “they are gone through pre-processing” uses an incorrect passive construction. “After sugers have been extracted, microbes are added in such laboratories to make ethanol” also has an unclear grammatical relationship between the stages. There are issues with articles and sentence boundaries, including the lowercase “initially” after a full stop and inconsistent spacing before punctuation. Practise accurate passive forms and check agreement and sentence punctuation.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.