Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The diagram illustrates the production of ethanol through microbial processing at industrial level.

Overall, the entire process is based on sustainability, which involves various steps, starting from harvesting of sugarcane to the extraction of the biofuel ( ethanol ).

The process begins with the harvesting of produce ( sugarcane ) and transportation of the harvest to the industry, where the first mechanical pre-processing happens that extract cellulose from the sugarcane. Extracted cellulose undergoes chemical treatment, where sugars were separated out of it. Furthermore, the sugars undergo microbial digestion where the microbes ferment the sugar, producing ethanol as a by-product. Moving further the biologically treated ethanol further used to fill in various vehicles like, aeroplanes, trucks and cars. The burning of fuel by these vehicles releases carbon dioxide which again utilized by plants in the nature and produce energy using sunlight and carbon dioxide. In a nutshell, the carbon dioxide gets recycled agin and the process continues.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You cover the main stages and give a relevant overview of the cycle, including the return of carbon dioxide to plant growth. The sequence from cellulose to sugars, microbial action and ethanol is also broadly represented, and you identify the three transport modes. This supports a clear account of the process. However, some details are not grounded in the diagram: it shows plants and trees generally, not sugarcane, and does not explicitly show harvested material being transported to industry or cellulose being extracted by a mechanical process. The description of the cycle as “based on sustainability” is also a broad interpretation rather than a feature shown. For greater precision, describe the labelled stages without adding unsupported specifics, and distinguish the energy input from the later carbon-dioxide cycle.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall progression: an introduction and overview are followed by the production stages and then the carbon-dioxide loop. Sequencing expressions such as “The process begins,” “Furthermore” and “Moving further” help the reader follow the stages, and the final sentence returns to the cycle. This is a coherent arrangement, though the linking is somewhat mechanical and a few references are imprecise. For example, “the harvest” and “it” require the reader to infer what material is meant, while “In a nutshell” is an informal way to close a process description. Use more direct links between each labelled stage, and separate the overview from the detailed sequence more clearly to make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a reasonably varied set of process-related terms, including “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “microbial digestion,” “by-product” and “carbon dioxide.” These choices show an attempt to describe technical stages rather than relying only on basic vocabulary. However, some expressions are imprecise or do not collocate naturally: “extraction of the biofuel,” “biologically treated ethanol” and “fill in various vehicles” do not accurately describe the diagram’s stages. “Sugarcane” is also an unsupported specific label. Spelling slips such as “agin” detract from control. Aim for precise process verbs and standard collocations, such as “is converted into,” “is used as fuel” and “is released,” while retaining the useful technical vocabulary you already use.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including a relative clause in “where the first mechanical pre-processing happens” and a longer sequence linked with “where” and “which.” Meaning is generally recoverable, but errors in verb forms, agreement and sentence construction are frequent enough to limit accuracy. For example, “that extract cellulose” should use a verb agreeing with “pre-processing,” and “ethanol further used” is missing an auxiliary. The tense shifts in “sugars were separated” within a present-tense process description, while “carbon dioxide gets recycled agin” also needs a more accurate grammatical construction. Practise consistent present simple for process stages, checking subject–verb agreement and ensuring each passive form includes “is/are” plus a past participle.

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