Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-20

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)

Information about how a biofuel called ethanol is produced is delineated by the provided diagram.

Overall, the entire process of enthanol making consists of 10 stages commencing with producing the energy and culminating with releasing carbon dioxide.

Digging deeper into the chart, it can be clearly seen that the process starts with making energy by the plants from sunlight and carbon dioxide for continuously growing their height and weight. After becoming mature the crops are harvested by the farmer and then going to pre processing which is converting into the genes of cellulos.

Scrutinizing deeper into the chart, it can be obsereved that after taking the cellulose the processing start in the lab with chemicals for making the element of sugars. Then the extra microbes added in chemicals which is helping to making the ethanol for reducing the use of fossil fuels. Ethanol is using into the car, truck and airplane as fuel and the carbon dioxide which is produced by the vehicles will take by the plants for making energy.

Hereby, I conclude my report.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the diagram as a production cycle and include its main stages: plant growth, harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose, processing, sugars, microbes, ethanol and carbon dioxide returning to plants. This gives the reader a relevant account of the process. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: plants use sunlight and carbon dioxide to grow, rather than “making energy,” and pre-processing does not convert material into “the genes of cellulos.” The overview also says there are ten stages, but does not clearly summarise the cycle’s key feature: ethanol is used by three forms of transport, whose emissions feed back into plant growth. Avoid adding unsupported details such as chemicals or fossil-fuel reduction, and describe the diagram’s stages more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and two paragraphs following the process from plant growth to transport and carbon dioxide. This overall sequence helps the reader follow the cycle. However, the progression is weakened by repeated, formulaic openings such as “Digging deeper into the chart” and “Scrutinizing deeper into the chart,” and the final “Hereby, I conclude my report” adds little. Some links between stages are unclear, particularly “After becoming mature the crops are harvested … and then going to pre processing.” Use direct transitions that show the sequence, and group the stages into clear phases. More precise referencing would also help connect the carbon dioxide from transport back to plant growth.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “harvested,” “cellulose,” “microbes,” “ethanol” and “carbon dioxide,” and attempt a range of formal expressions. However, several word choices or collocations are inaccurate and make parts of the process difficult to understand: “making energy by the plants,” “converting into the genes of cellulos” and “extra microbes added in chemicals.” There are also spelling errors, including “enthanol” and “obsereved,” and some unnecessarily elaborate phrases such as “Scrutinizing deeper.” Aim for precise, natural process language and check spelling. For example, describe plants as absorbing carbon dioxide, and say that cellulose is processed into sugars before microbes are added.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “the carbon dioxide which is produced by the vehicles.” The main sequence is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors affect clarity. For example, “the process starts with making energy by the plants … for continuously growing” has an awkward verb pattern, while “the processing start” has incorrect subject–verb agreement. In “the extra microbes added … which is helping to making,” the passive form and verb pattern are faulty. Articles and prepositions also need attention, as in “in the car” when referring to vehicles generally. Use consistent present simple for process descriptions and check agreement and verb forms in each clause.

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.