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)

The given diagram illustrate the detail process of making the ethanol from start till end. In the beginning of the process the growth of plant and trees is done by the energy they gain from sunlight and carbon dioxide when these plants become ready to harvest than the process of harvesting starts and these plants and trees are than taken to the machine for the pre-processing. By using this machine these harvested plants and trees are converted into cellulose. For further processing these cellulose are than taken to the labourtary. In this process these cellulose are converted into the sugars. For making the ethanol some microbes are added into these sugars into the labourtary processing. That's how the ethanol is made. This ethanol is than used in several transports for example cars, trucks and aeroplans. They use it as a source of energy and during this process carbon dioxide is released into air.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You describe the main sequence from plant growth through harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose, processing, sugars, microbes and ethanol, and you correctly mention its use in cars, trucks and aeroplanes. However, the account is only partial: it does not explain the cycle’s return of carbon dioxide to support plant growth, which is a central feature of the diagram. The opening also lacks a clear overview of the process as a renewable cycle, and some details are unsupported or imprecise, such as saying the plants are taken to a machine and the cellulose to a laboratory. To strengthen the response, summarise the overall cycle first, then report the stages accurately and include carbon dioxide released by transport returning to the plants.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The stages are presented in a broadly chronological order, and linking expressions such as “In the beginning,” “For further processing” and “That's how” help the reader follow the account. However, the response is one continuous paragraph, so the overview and the sequence of details are not clearly separated. Several links are also repetitive or awkward, particularly the repeated use of “than” to move between stages, and the final sentence does not connect the released carbon dioxide back to the start of the cycle. Organise the response into a brief overview followed by a clearly sequenced description, and use precise references such as “this gas then returns to the plants” to make the cycle explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “harvesting,” “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “sugars” and “microbes,” which allows you to name several important stages. However, the range of descriptive language is limited, and some choices are inaccurate or unnatural: “the detail process,” “taken to the machine” and “labourtary” do not describe the diagram precisely. There are also spelling errors in “aeroplans” and “labourtary,” while repeated use of “process” and “plants and trees” makes the account less precise. Aim for accurate process verbs and standard spelling, and avoid adding equipment or locations that are not shown.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to combine stages in longer sentences, for example by linking plant growth, harvesting and pre-processing, but these complex sentences are often difficult to control. Errors include subject–verb agreement in “diagram illustrate” and “cellulose are,” article and number problems in “the growth of plant and trees,” and incorrect verb forms in “these plants become ready to harvest than the process … starts.” The repeated “than” also disrupts sentence meaning, and punctuation does not consistently separate the stages. Use shorter, accurately punctuated sentences where needed, check singular and plural agreement, and practise clear passive forms such as “the plants are harvested” and “the cellulose is processed.”

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