Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-15

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 how a biofuel called ethanol is produced.

Overall, the process consists of several distinct stages, beginning with energy from sunlight and carbon dioxide and culminating in ethanol. it is a cyclic process involving a series of step during which transformation takes place.

First the energy from carbon dioxide and sunlight help trees to grow which are then harvested and then they go for pre-processing, this results in cellulose. The cellulose then undergo more processing.

After processing, cellulose is then converted into sugars. In sugars, microbes are then added which gives rise to ethanol. Ethanol is then transported through cars, trucks or airplanes. During transportation it releases carbon dioxide in air. The process is repeated for production of more ethanol.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main stages from plant growth through processing to ethanol, and you correctly note that the fuel is used by cars, trucks and aircraft. The overview also recognises the cycle. However, the account is incomplete: it does not explain that carbon dioxide released by transport returns to the plants, helping them grow, which is central to the diagram’s circular nature. Some stages are only briefly described, and “The process is repeated for production of more ethanol” is less precise than explaining the carbon-dioxide loop. The response also falls 28 words short of the required minimum, limiting the detail you can provide. Include the full cycle and expand the key transformations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview and a chronological description of the stages. Sequencing words such as “First,” “After processing” and “During transportation” help the reader follow the process. The progression is generally coherent, but the overview’s two sentences are not smoothly connected, and the final sentence does not clearly link carbon dioxide back to plant growth. Some repeated use of “then” makes the description feel mechanical. Grouping the stages into clearer phases—plant growth and preparation, conversion, then fuel use and the return of carbon dioxide—would strengthen the progression and make the cycle easier to understand.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “harvested,” “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “converted” and “microbes,” which makes the stages recognisable. Some choices are imprecise or repetitive: “go for pre-processing” is informal, “more processing” is vague, and “gives rise to ethanol” is less direct than a standard process description such as “produces ethanol.” “Transported through cars” is also an awkward collocation. These choices do not prevent understanding, but greater precision and more natural phrasing would improve the account. Use terms such as “undergoes further processing,” “is transported by” and “is released into the atmosphere” where they accurately describe the diagram.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex forms, including the relative clause “which are then harvested” and the sequence “During transportation it releases carbon dioxide in air.” Meaning is generally clear, but some errors in agreement, verb forms, articles and punctuation remain. For example, “energy … help trees” should use a singular verb, “the cellulose then undergo” needs a singular verb, and “it is a cyclic process involving a series of step” requires plural agreement. The lowercase “it” after a full stop and the missing comma after “During transportation” also affect accuracy. Check each subject–verb pairing and use articles consistently; these corrections would make your sentence structures more controlled.

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