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)

Ethanol a biofuel, its production process is illustrated here in a process diagram with step by step guide.

First of all in our nature we have plants and trees we use them for making food and having shelter from them.We do harvesting of plants and trees so we can take advantage from them which involves a sequence of steps, Then these are pre processed in factories where cellulose is made from harvested plants and trees then cellulose is processed in factories under various conditions where it is converted in sugars during chemical reactions, next in sugars microbes are added to make them useful and long lasting.Lastly we have Ethanol produced during this chain of steps.Harvesting done by man using tractors while pre processing and processing is done in factories where they are shaped towards final product.

Ethanol is used in cars,buses,trucks and planes etc. for travelling purposes.these vehicles emit carbon dioxide that goes in air and alongside sunlight plants take this as energy and biofuel production cycle starts again.It is a vital and useful natural chemical that drives us along.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You describe the main stages from harvesting through pre-processing, cellulose, processing, sugars, microbes and ethanol, and you recognise that carbon dioxide returns to support the cycle. However, the account only partially reports the diagram: it does not clearly explain that sunlight and carbon dioxide enable plants and trees to grow, and it adds unsupported details such as buses, food and shelter, and processing under “various conditions.” The overview is also weak; the cyclical nature and the role of ethanol as fuel could be stated more directly. Focus on the information shown, describe the stages in order, and distinguish the production process from the later use of ethanol in transport.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic sequence, using “First of all,” “then,” “next” and “Lastly,” and the final paragraph moves from ethanol use to carbon dioxide returning to plant growth. These features make the general process understandable. However, the first paragraph is crowded with several stages and extra commentary, while the second shifts abruptly to the writer’s opinion that ethanol is “vital and useful.” Some links are unclear, particularly “next in sugars microbes are added,” and the repeated use of “then” makes progression mechanical. Organise the response into a concise overview followed by clearly separated production and fuel-use stages, and use references such as “this material” only when their meaning is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “harvesting,” “pre-processed,” “cellulose,” “converted,” “microbes” and “emit carbon dioxide.” This gives the reader a basic account of the diagram. However, the range is limited and several choices are imprecise or informal for an academic process description: “take advantage from them,” “make them useful and long lasting,” and “shaped towards final product” do not accurately describe the stages. “Chemical reactions” and “under various conditions” add detail not shown. Aim for precise process collocations and avoid conversational or evaluative wording. For example, describe cellulose as being converted into sugars and microbes as being added during the production stage.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt longer sentences to connect stages, for example, the sentence beginning “Then these are pre processed in factories,” and you use passive forms such as “microbes are added.” However, the range is limited, and complex sentences are often difficult to follow because clauses are joined without reliable punctuation. The opening, “Ethanol a biofuel, its production process is illustrated,” is a sentence fragment or faulty combination. Other problems include “Harvesting done by man” and “plants take this as energy,” where the sentence structure and grammatical relationships are unclear. There are also missing spaces after full stops and commas. Use complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check punctuation when joining stages.

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