Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-16

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 given chart illustrates the process of making ethanol which is a fuel. It is clearly evident from the graph, ethanol prominantly uses 6 steps to be formed.

Overall, the fuels process goes in cycle order. However, there are 6 to 7 steps significantly utilised in the making of this fuel.

It has been observed from the graph, apparently, sunlight and carbondioxide is consumed by the trees helping them grow. The trees are the harvested by the forest department. Meanwhile, they are collected and

pre proccesed inorder to form celluse. Furthermore, Sugar is then extracted from the cellulose by undergoing a chemical procedure in a laboratory. Consequently, microbes are added to sugar which results in the formation of ethanol. Moreover, ethanol is also a form of fuel for different means of transportation such as car, truck or a aeroplane which then produces carbondioxide. Therefore, that carbondioxide is again emitted by the trees inorder to grow and hence this procedure is called cycle process

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You cover the main stages, from plant growth and harvesting through processing, the addition of microbes, and the use of ethanol in transport. You also recognise the key overall feature: the process forms a cycle in which carbon dioxide returns to support plant growth. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear. The diagram shows carbon dioxide being absorbed as plants grow and released by vehicles; it does not say that trees themselves emit it. “Forest department” and a “chemical procedure in a laboratory” are not shown, and the claim that ethanol “prominantly uses 6 steps” is confusing and does not accurately summarise the process. To strengthen the report, describe the stages precisely and avoid adding unsupported details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and a description of the stages. The sequence from plant growth to ethanol and transport is generally understandable, and linking expressions such as “Furthermore” and “Consequently” help show progression. However, the overview repeats the idea of a cycle while adding the unclear statement about “6 to 7 steps,” and the body paragraph contains several stages in one long chain. Some transitions, including “Meanwhile” and “Therefore,” do not clearly express the relationship between the ideas they connect. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and process details, then link each stage with precise sequencing language such as “next” and “after this.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “harvested,” “pre-processed,” “cellulose,” “microbes,” and “formation,” which helps communicate the stages. There is also some attempt to vary wording with phrases such as “means of transportation.” However, several choices are inaccurate or awkward for a process diagram: “chart” and “graph” misidentify the visual, “fuel process” is unclear, and “ethanol prominently uses 6 steps” does not convey the intended meaning. Spelling errors such as “prominantly,” “proccesed,” “celluse,” and “carbondioxide” are noticeable. Aim for precise terms such as “process diagram,” “is produced,” and “carbon dioxide,” and check spelling and collocations carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including clauses with “which” and “in order to,” and the reader can usually follow the main sequence. However, errors occur frequently in sentence structure and grammatical forms. For example, “sunlight and carbondioxide is consumed” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “The trees are the harvested” has an unnecessary article and an incorrect passive construction. “Sugar is then extracted … by undergoing” also makes the relationship between the sugar and the process unclear. Punctuation and sentence boundaries need attention, particularly in the long final sentence. Practise accurate passive forms, agreement with compound subjects, and shorter sentences that clearly identify what each stage does.

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