Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-13

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 7.0)

The cycle shows how ethanol is produced. In general, it begins with solar energy combined with carbon dioxide and ends up with sugars being combined with microbes to produce ethanol. Eventually, this ethanol is used to run different machines which produces carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Consequently, this carbon dioxide is then recycled to start the cycle once again.

To begin with, trees grow by utilizing solar energy in a process called photosynthesis. Trees produce their own food through chlorophyll in their leaves, by drawing carbon dioxide from the environment while being powered by photo energy from the sun.

Once the trees have matured, they are harvested and processed into cellulose. This is then further converted into sugars in industries. Furthermore, the addition of microbes to these simple carbohydrates produces the biofuel called ethanol.

Eventually, this fuel is used to run machines such as cars, vehicles and planes. Consequently, these machines emit carbon dioxide to the atmosphere and this is recycled back to the new growing tress hence restarting the whole cycle.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response gives a clear account of the cycle and identifies its main stages, including plant growth, harvesting, conversion to cellulose and sugars, the addition of microbes, ethanol production, and carbon dioxide returning to the plants. The opening overview also captures the circular nature of the process. Some details, however, are generalised or not fully faithful to the diagram: it says trees are “processed into cellulose,” whereas pre-processing produces cellulose before a separate processing stage, and it describes ethanol as running “machines” rather than specifying the three transport modes shown. The explanation of photosynthesis adds information not presented in the diagram. To strengthen the report, distinguish the labelled stages precisely and prioritise the diagram’s key features over outside explanation.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information is organised in a clear sequence, moving from the overview to plant growth, fuel production, and the return of carbon dioxide. Paragraphing supports this progression, and linking expressions such as “To begin with,” “Once,” and “Eventually” help guide the reader through the cycle. The repeated use of “Consequently” is somewhat mechanical, and the overview’s phrase “ends up with sugars being combined with microbes” makes the sequence less precise because ethanol is the final product before its use in transport. A more direct overview followed by stage-based paragraphs, with varied transitions and clearer references to each stage, would make the cohesion more flexible and the progression even smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The response uses a suitable range of process vocabulary, including “harvested,” “cellulose,” “converted,” “microbes,” and “byproduct,” and the meaning remains clear throughout. There is some flexibility in describing the cycle, but several choices are imprecise or less natural for this diagram: “run different machines” is broad, “photo energy” is less idiomatic than “solar energy,” and “simple carbohydrates” is an unnecessary substitution for the diagram’s label “sugars.” “New growing tress” also contains a spelling error and an awkward phrase. These features keep the vocabulary from being consistently precise and natural. Prefer the diagram’s exact technical labels and use collocations such as “power vehicles” and “carbon dioxide emissions.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

There is a good mix of sentence forms, including complex clauses such as “while being powered by…” and “Once the trees have matured…,” and many sentences are grammatically controlled. The sequence is generally easy to follow, with appropriate use of present simple for a process. A few errors remain: “machines which produces” has a subject–verb agreement problem, and the final sentence has an unclear construction in “this is recycled back to the new growing tress,” where the reference and sentence structure need tightening. Extra spaces before punctuation also appear after “machines” and “carbon dioxide.” Review agreement in relative clauses and make pronoun references explicit; this would improve accuracy while preserving the range of structures already demonstrated.

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