Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-21

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 diagram illustrates all the process how ethanol is made in some steps, they have started from the Energy(sunlight+ carbon dioxide) and last step is Ethanol, after this step carbon dioxide are made.

Overall, the diagram shows all process how to made the carbon dioxide using the few steps.

First of all, plants and tress are grown, when they have grown, Harvesting the tress and plants, after the harvesting, pre-processing plants and tress they have already harvested.

The next iscellulose thepre-processing tress and plants, for next process they have sent the labortary or factory. After this process sugars are appeared, and added the microbes into sugar, the ethanol are are made. The ethanol is used in cars,trucks and airplane. At the end all process Carbon dioxide are made, they have appear in the atmosphere

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify several relevant stages, including plant growth, harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose, processing, sugars, microbes and ethanol, and you mention that the fuel is used by cars, trucks and aircraft. However, the account misstates the overall cycle: it says the process starts with energy and ends with ethanol, then describes carbon dioxide as simply appearing in the atmosphere. The diagram shows carbon dioxide from transport returning to support plant growth, which is the key overview feature. Some stage descriptions are unclear or inaccurate, and the response is 16 words below the required minimum. To improve, give a precise overview of the cycle and explain the stages in order, including the return of carbon dioxide to the plants.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is a basic attempt to organise the response, with an opening, an overview and a sequence introduced by “First of all” and “The next”. The stages are generally presented in process order, so the reader can recognise the broad progression from plants to ethanol. However, the overview repeats the introduction rather than clarifying the cycle, and the final sentence does not connect carbon dioxide back to plant growth. Several transitions are awkward or unclear, such as “The next iscellulose thepre-processing…”, while repeated “after this process” phrasing makes the progression mechanical. Use separate, clearly developed paragraphs and concise links such as “Next” and “Finally”; make the final link explicit to complete the cycle.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “harvesting”, “pre-processing”, “cellulose”, “microbes” and “ethanol”, which helps identify the main stages. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms make the process difficult to follow. For example, “all process how to made” and “sugars are appeared” are not natural descriptions, while “tress” appears to be a misspelling of “trees”. “Labortary or factory” is imprecise because the diagram shows a processing facility, and “carbon dioxide are made” does not accurately describe its release and reuse. Aim for precise process verbs and standard spelling, such as “is converted into”, “is produced” and “is released”.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts to connect stages in longer sentences, for example, “when they have grown, Harvesting the tress and plants”, but these attempts are often grammatically incomplete or faulty. There are frequent problems with verb forms and sentence construction: “how to made” should be “how ethanol is made”, and “after the harvesting, pre-processing plants” lacks a clear subject and verb. Agreement is also inconsistent in “carbon dioxide are made” and “the ethanol are are made”. Articles, capitalization and punctuation are not controlled consistently, and some sentences run together, making relationships between stages unclear. Build accuracy first with complete subject–verb sentences in the present simple or passive voice, then add a few correctly formed clauses to show sequence.

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.