Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-17

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 5.0)

This diagram gives the information about that hoe ethanol is produced. Overall, this process is show that the carbon dioxide is main feature to make the ethanol while the other factors are least. First of all, the energy is coming from the sunlight and is lying on the plants and trees. In addition, when these trees are harvesting, they are in preprocessing and then finally become cellulose. Consequently, they become in the final processing phase and become sugars. Now it is converted into microbes and finally this becomes into ethanol. However, this a reversible process this ethanol is converted into the carbon dioxide and emit through the vehicles.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the general subject and include several stages, from plant growth and harvesting through cellulose, processing, sugars and ethanol. You also recognise that carbon dioxide is released when ethanol is used by vehicles and returns to the plants, which captures the cycle’s key feature. However, the overview is unclear and inaccurate: carbon dioxide is not simply the “main feature to make the ethanol,” and the diagram shows sunlight and carbon dioxide supporting plant growth. Some stages are misrepresented, especially “converted into microbes”; microbes are added to sugars to produce ethanol. The three transport types and the return of carbon dioxide to plants are not fully explained. The response is also 42 words below the required minimum, limiting the detail provided.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The stages are presented in a broadly chronological order, and sequencing phrases such as “First of all,” “In addition,” and “finally” help the reader follow the process. The final sentence also attempts to connect ethanol use with the return of carbon dioxide, giving the response some overall unity. However, the answer is one continuous paragraph, so the overview and process details are not clearly separated. Several links between stages are unclear, particularly “they are in preprocessing and then finally become cellulose” and “it is converted into microbes.” Use distinct paragraphs for the overview and the sequence, and make each transition show the actual relationship between stages. The repeated use of “and” and “finally” also makes the progression feel mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “harvesting,” “cellulose,” “processing,” “sugars,” “ethanol,” and “carbon dioxide,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations make the meaning imprecise. “Energy is coming from the sunlight and is lying on the plants” does not clearly describe sunlight and carbon dioxide enabling plant growth. “Converted into microbes” also misstates the role of microbes, while “emit through the vehicles” is not a natural way to describe carbon dioxide release. There is also a spelling error in “hoe” for “how.” Aim for precise process verbs such as “absorb,” “convert,” “ferment,” and “release,” and use them to describe the diagram’s relationships accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple statements and longer sentences, including a contrast introduced by “However,” and a sequence linked with “when.” Nevertheless, errors occur frequently and sometimes make the process difficult to interpret. For example, “this process is show” has an incorrect verb form, and “when these trees are harvesting” uses an incorrect passive construction. In “this a reversible process,” the sentence is missing a verb, while “this becomes into ethanol” combines incompatible verb patterns. The sentence beginning “Overall” also has unclear agreement and structure. Practise accurate present-simple descriptions of processes, including passive forms such as “the plants are harvested” and “the sugars are processed,” and check that each sentence has a complete clause.

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