Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-25

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 diagram below shows the information about how the ethanol is produced from the plants.

initially the selected crop was grown and harvested.there the harvested plants is preprocessed.after the preprocessing the cellulose is add to the resultant from the preprocessing.the next process is extracting the required material after the rection of cellulose with the plant material after got preprocessed.the extraction include the chemical process where is result in taking the sugars from the material.the microbes are added into the sugars.the microbes decompose the sugars.after decomposing the ethanol forms on the top of the sugars.the ethanol is separated from the suagars and added into the fuel to some extent.the ethanol mixed fuels produce less pollution when compared to normal fuel.now the ethanol is used in the vehicles compatible to that fuel.the vehicles emits carbon dioxide .the carbon dioyide is used by the plant during process call photosythesis.this is a cyclic process.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main stages, from growing and harvesting plants through processing, adding microbes, producing ethanol, and returning carbon dioxide to the plants. The closing statement that “this is a cyclic process” captures the diagram’s overall pattern. However, some details are unclear or do not match the visual: cellulose is produced from pre-processing, rather than being added to its result, and the diagram does not show ethanol being separated from sugars or blended with fuel. The claim that ethanol fuel produces less pollution is also not shown. To strengthen the account, describe the labelled stages accurately and include the three transport types—cars, trucks and aeroplanes—which use the ethanol before releasing carbon dioxide.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows a broadly chronological order, and words such as “initially,” “after,” and “now” help signal movement through the process. The final reference to a cycle also gives the account a sense of closure. However, the writing is presented as one continuous block, and several transitions are unclear or repetitive, particularly the repeated explanations of processing and extraction. Phrases such as “there the harvested plants is preprocessed” and “the next process is extracting the required material” make it difficult to see how one labelled stage leads to the next. Organise the description into clear stages, use paragraphing, and connect each step directly to the next without adding unsupported explanations.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “harvested,” “preprocessed,” “cellulose,” “microbes,” and “carbon dioxide,” so the reader can recognise the topic and many of its stages. However, some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or imprecise, such as “the cellulose is add to the resultant” and “the ethanol forms on the top of the sugars.” There are also spelling errors in key terms, including “suagars,” “dioyide,” and “photosythesis,” which reduce clarity. Aim for precise verbs that describe the diagram, such as “is converted into” or “is produced,” and check spelling carefully. Avoid introducing claims like “less pollution” when the diagram does not provide that information.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to describe a sequence using both simple statements and longer clauses, for example, “the microbes decompose the sugars” and “the carbon dioyide is used by the plant during process call photosythesis.” However, many sentences contain errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, or sentence boundaries. Examples include “the harvested plants is preprocessed,” “the cellulose is add,” and “the vehicles emits carbon dioxide.” Several clauses are joined without clear punctuation, as in “after the rection of cellulose with the plant material after got preprocessed,” making relationships hard to follow. Practise accurate passive forms for process descriptions (“is harvested,” “is processed”) and use shorter, complete sentences before attempting more complex structures.

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