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)

The process diagram illustrates how a biofuel called ethanol is produced.

Overall, it is clear that there are several process beginning with sunlight + carbon dioxide and ending with produced ethanol.

Initial sunlight + carbon dioxide with plants and tree grow. After this process there are harvesting with machine to collect the plants. In another process this plants through the machine with making the pre-processing and this plants with through the cellulose. Finally, it is ready for processing with scientific method and made in sugars.

In the last method it is ready for microbes added and finally produced ethanol. Ethanol through the carbon dioxide with several vehicles such as aeroplane, truck and car.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the subject and give a brief overview, noting that the process starts with sunlight and carbon dioxide and ends with ethanol. You also mention harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose, sugars, microbes and the transport vehicles, so the response is relevant. However, the overview is incomplete and partly inaccurate: the diagram shows a cycle in which carbon dioxide from vehicles returns to support plant growth, not a process that simply ends with ethanol. Several stages are described unclearly, and the final carbon-dioxide loop is not explained. The response is also 37 words below the required minimum, leaving too little space to report the main features fully. Explain the stages and the cycle more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic sequence, moving from plant growth through processing to ethanol, and paragraph breaks separate the introduction, overview and process details. This gives the reader some sense of order. However, progression is weakened by unclear links such as “In another process this plants through the machine” and “this plants with through the cellulose.” The repeated use of “process” and “finally” also makes the connections mechanical, while the final sentence introduces transport and carbon dioxide without clearly linking them back to plant growth. Use one paragraph for the overview and another for the stages, then connect each stage with precise sequencing language and clear references.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “harvesting,” “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “sugars” and “microbes,” which helps identify key stages. However, the range is limited and several phrases are inaccurate or awkward, making parts of the process difficult to understand. For example, “sunlight + carbon dioxide with plants and tree grow” does not clearly express the relationship, and “Ethanol through the carbon dioxide” misrepresents the transport and emissions stage. Choose precise verbs such as “is converted into,” “is processed,” and “is released,” and use standard terms like “plants and trees” and “vehicles.” Avoid vague wording such as “scientific method” when describing the processing stage.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response mainly uses short, simple statements and attempts a few longer constructions, but these are often faulty. Examples include “there are several process beginning” and “plants and tree grow,” where agreement and plural forms are not controlled. In “After this process there are harvesting,” the sentence pattern and verb form are incorrect; “this plants through the machine with making the pre-processing” is also difficult to parse. These recurring errors sometimes obscure the intended relationships between stages. Practise forming accurate passive sentences for processes, such as “The plants are harvested” and “The cellulose is processed into sugars,” and check subject–verb agreement, articles and plural endings.

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