Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The illustration depicts the production cycle of ethanol.

Overall, the cycle consists of harvesting plants and trees, pre-processing them into cellulose. Next, the cellulose is processed into sugar which is then turned into ethanol. The ethanol powers the transportation and produces carbon dioxide which is required for plant growth.

The cycle starts with plants and trees capturing carbon dioxide and sunlight from the environment to prepare their food and grow. In the next step, the these trees and plants are harvest and later pre-processed into cellulose. The cellulose are processed into chemical sugars through chemical process.

In the next stage, microbes are added to the chemical sugars to produce ethanol. Ethanol powers various engines such as cars and planes which produces carbon dioxide that gows back into the start of the cycle and this cycle repr

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main stages and give a relevant overview: plant material becomes cellulose, then sugars and ethanol, while carbon dioxide returns to support plant growth. This captures the diagram’s central cycle. However, some details are incomplete or unclear: the diagram shows ethanol being used by cars, trucks and aeroplanes, but you mention only cars and planes, and the processing stages are described briefly. The final sentence is cut off, leaving the cycle’s conclusion unfinished. The response is also below the required 150 words, so it does not fully meet the task’s length requirement. To strengthen the report, describe each stage accurately and complete the account of carbon dioxide returning to the plants.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement, with an overview followed by a description of the early and later stages. Sequencing phrases such as “Overall,” “In the next step,” and “In the next stage” help the reader follow the process. However, the progression is weakened by the abrupt ending at “this cycle repr,” which leaves the final idea incomplete. Some links are also repetitive, relying mainly on “next” and “then.” The overview and body broadly follow the diagram’s sequence, but the transition from ethanol use to the return of carbon dioxide could be expressed more smoothly. Complete the final sentence and vary the sequencing language to make the cohesion less mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “production cycle,” “pre-processed,” “cellulose,” “chemical process,” and “microbes,” which makes the stages generally understandable. Some choices are imprecise or repetitive: “chemical sugars” is not needed, and “powers various engines” is less natural than describing ethanol as fuel for transport. There are also spelling or word-form slips, including “gows,” “harvest” where a past participle is needed, and the unfinished “repr.” These do not prevent the main meaning from being understood, but they reduce accuracy and polish. Aim for precise process terms and check spelling and word forms carefully before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You use both simple and complex forms, including the overview sentence with a relative clause and the explanation that ethanol “powers the transportation and produces carbon dioxide.” However, some grammatical errors occur. In “the these trees and plants are harvest,” the article is duplicated and the passive form is incorrect; “the cellulose are processed” has a subject–verb agreement error; and “which produces carbon dioxide” does not agree with the plural subject “cars and planes.” The final sentence is also incomplete, so its structure cannot be followed to completion. These errors do not obscure the overall process, but they show that control is not consistent. Check agreement, passive verb forms, and sentence completion.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.