Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The given diagram illustrates the process of making a special biofuel called ethanol.

Overall, it is a cyclic process starting from the energy that plants and tress get from the environment in the from sunlight and carbon dioxide untill making the ethanol and consuming it for the transportation.

Firstly, plants and tress grow in different areas by getting the exposure of sunlight and carbon dioxide. Subsequently, all the grown plants and trees are harvested by machinary. The harvested material goes through some pre-processing. From pre-processing, a special material called cellulose is obtained. Afterwards, the cellulose undergoes for further chemical processing. The chemical processing results in sugars. In these sugars microbes are added which ultimately results in form of the ethanol. After its production, the ethanol is utilized in vehicles such as cars, trucks, and aeroplanes. These transportations burn the ethanol and emit the gas called carbon dioxide in the air. This carbon dioxide again becomes the energy for the plants and tress which are pivot materials for the ethanol.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You cover the main stages accurately, from plant growth and harvesting through pre-processing, cellulose, processing, sugars, microbes and ethanol, then its use in transport. The overview also identifies the diagram’s cyclical nature and the return of carbon dioxide to support plant growth. These details address the task clearly and show a good understanding of the process. To make the account more complete and precise, describe the diagram’s key links more explicitly: sunlight and carbon dioxide provide the inputs for plant growth, while carbon dioxide released by the three transport modes returns to the plants. The phrase “becomes the energy” slightly oversimplifies this relationship; explain instead that plants use sunlight and carbon dioxide as they grow.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response has a clear overall progression: an introductory statement and overview are followed by the stages in their correct order, ending with the carbon-dioxide cycle. Sequencing words such as “Firstly,” “Subsequently,” and “Afterwards” help the reader follow the process, and the final sentence links back to plant growth. This logical organisation is effective. To strengthen cohesion further, vary the transitions and make references more exact. For example, “In these sugars” is an unclear link to the previous sentence; “Microbes are then added to the sugars” would connect the stages more directly. The paragraphing is also limited to one main process paragraph after the overview; grouping the production stages and the fuel-use cycle separately could make the structure easier to scan.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “harvested,” “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “chemical processing,” and “emit,” which helps convey the stages and their outcomes. Some less common terms are relevant to the diagram, and the meaning is generally clear. However, several word-choice, collocation, and spelling errors reduce precision: “special material” is vague for cellulose, “undergoes for” is not a natural collocation, and “transportations” is not the appropriate noun for cars, trucks, and aeroplanes. There are also spelling errors such as “tress,” “machinary,” and “untill.” Use the diagram’s labels where possible and check spelling and natural word combinations to make the description more precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex forms, including the overview clause “starting from…” and the sequence of passive constructions such as “are harvested” and “is added.” The stages remain understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. In “plants and tress grow,” the subject is plural, while “this carbon dioxide again becomes the energy” has an awkward article and noun construction. “The cellulose undergoes for further chemical processing” uses an incorrect verb pattern, and “which ultimately results in form of the ethanol” is missing a grammatical link. Review verb patterns, articles, and clause construction, and aim for more consistently accurate sentences. For example: “The cellulose is then processed into sugars, to which microbes are added to produce ethanol.”

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