Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-11

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 illustrates the formation of a biofuel known as ethanol.

Overall, the process starts with the harvesting of plants and trees and then their processing and conversion into fuel for various methods of transport. These vehicles then emit carbon dioxide in the environment which helps the plants to grow and the cycle repeats again.

When plants get energy in the form of sunlight and carbon dioxide, they grow in size. They are harvested when reached a certain level. Sent for pre-processing

where they are converted into cellulose. This cellulose serves as the base material for the formation of ethanol.

Cellulose is then processed into sugars in which microbes are added which convert it to the final product. The Ethanol act as a fuel for different modes of transport including cars, trucks and airplanes. All of these vehicles then release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which is again used by the plants.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You cover the main stages and give a clear overview of the cycle, including plant growth, conversion into ethanol, transport use and the return of carbon dioxide to plants. The sequence from pre-processing through cellulose and sugars to microbes is also reported, so the account addresses the process rather than merely listing labels. A few details are imprecise: the overview says the process starts with harvesting, although the diagram begins with sunlight and carbon dioxide enabling plant growth, and “helps the plants to grow” could more clearly explain that carbon dioxide is absorbed in this cycle. To strengthen the account further, describe the stages in a consistently precise sequence and distinguish the energy input from the later carbon-dioxide emissions.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a description of the stages in sequence. Linking expressions such as “Overall,” “then,” and “which” help the reader follow the process, and the final sentence returns to the cycle’s starting point. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or unclear. The fragment “Sent for pre-processing / where they are converted into cellulose” interrupts the progression, and “This cellulose serves as the base material” does not clearly connect the intermediate stages that follow. Use complete sentences and clearer references, and group the stages into a smooth progression from plant growth to fuel production and then emissions.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “microbes,” “final product,” and “modes of transport.” These terms make the account relevant and generally understandable. Some choices are imprecise or awkward for describing a diagram: “formation” is less natural than “production,” “grow in size” is vague, and “release carbon dioxide into the environment” is less precise than describing emissions into the atmosphere. Capitalising “Ethanol” mid-sentence is also inconsistent. Aim for more exact process verbs and natural collocations, while avoiding repeated general wording such as “then” and “converted.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex structures, including the overview’s relative clause and the sentence beginning “When plants get energy…”. Meaning is usually clear, but some errors in sentence formation, verb forms and agreement remain. “They are harvested when reached a certain level” omits the subject after “when”; “Sent for pre-processing” is a sentence fragment; and “The Ethanol act as a fuel” has a subject–verb agreement error. The sentence about sugars and microbes also has an unclear “which” reference. Use complete clauses, check singular and plural agreement, and make pronoun references explicit. These corrections would improve accuracy without requiring more complicated sentence patterns.

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