Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-14

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 process through which a biofuel called ethanol, is produced. This process consists of several steps before the end product is obtained. Firstly, the plants and trees consume sunlight and carbon dioxide as a source of energy in order to grow. After the plants have fully grown, they are then harvested by the use of different machinery, which is then processed further, from where a component called cellulose, is derived. Secondly, the cellulose produced, then undergoes processing involving, multiple lab tests and chemical reaction, that results in sugar being extracted. A number of microbes are then added to the sugar components taken from the structure of cellulose, which then goes through a chemical reaction whose end product is ethanol. Lastly, the ethanol recieved, is then used as a fuel for multiple transport vehicles like, motor cars, trucks, and airplanes, that result in the production of carbon dioxide which is released in the air. The carbon dioxide is then again consumed along with sunlight by the plants and trees.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main stages from plant growth through processing and transport use, and you correctly identify the cycle in which carbon dioxide returns to support further growth. This gives the reader a generally accurate account of the process. However, some details are either unclear or not shown in the diagram: for example, “multiple lab tests and chemical reaction” is added without visual support, and the account does not clearly distinguish pre-processing from the later processing stage. The overview is also implicit rather than clearly stated. To strengthen the response, summarise the cycle and its key stages upfront, then describe the sequence precisely, avoiding unsupported explanations about how the stages work.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The stages are presented in a broadly logical order, and sequencing expressions such as “Firstly,” “Secondly,” and “Lastly” help the reader follow the process. The final sentence also links carbon dioxide back to plant growth, completing the cycle. However, the response is written as one continuous paragraph, so the overview and detailed stages are not clearly separated. Some links are awkward or unclear, particularly “which is then processed further, from where a component called cellulose, is derived,” where the reference of “which” is difficult to follow. Organise the response into a brief overview and a separate process description, and use clearer links between each stage rather than relying mainly on ordinal markers.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a suitable range of process vocabulary, including “harvested,” “cellulose,” “microbes,” and “end product,” and the meaning is generally clear. The use of “consume” and “derived” also shows an attempt to use more precise language. However, some choices are imprecise or unnatural for describing a diagram: “sugar being extracted” suggests a step not explicitly shown, while “sugar components taken from the structure of cellulose” is cumbersome. “Received” is also misspelled as “recieved,” and “multiple” is repeated without adding useful precision. To move further, favour concise, accurate process terms and avoid adding technical descriptions that the diagram does not provide.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentences, including subordinate clauses such as “in order to grow” and “which then goes through a chemical reaction.” The sequence is usually understandable, but some grammatical and punctuation errors remain. Commas interrupt phrases unnecessarily in “ethanol, is produced,” “involving, multiple,” and “like, motor cars,” and the sentence beginning “After the plants have fully grown” becomes difficult to follow because of its long chain of clauses. There is also an unclear construction in “from where a component … is derived.” Aim to control clause boundaries more carefully: split long sentences where needed, remove commas that separate a subject from its verb or a phrase from its complement, and use direct sentence structures to describe each stage.

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