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 cycle diagram explain the process of production ethanol through renewable energy resource biofuel.
Overall, the trees being harvested and go through processining in factories to break into sugar molecule which then changes to ethanol when microbes are added to it.This produced is then used as fuel for motor vehicles and then return back to environment as released carbon dioxide.
At first, the plants get sunlight and carbon dioxide to prepare food. these plants are then harvested and grains are removed from them during pre- processing. The remaining part is now cellulose sent to the factories for futher decomposition.
The cellulose decompose into sugar molecules. The microorganism are then added to sugar to break molecules for the formation of ethanol. This product is then used as fuel for the motor vehicles like cars ,aeroplanes. Whne
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You identify the main stages, including plant growth, harvesting, conversion of cellulose into sugars, the addition of microbes, and the use of ethanol as fuel. The overview also recognises the cycle and the return of carbon dioxide. However, some details are inaccurate or incomplete: the diagram shows plants and trees being harvested, but does not mention grains being removed, and it shows ethanol used by cars, trucks and aeroplanes, while your account stops before explaining the carbon dioxide released by these vehicles and returned to the plants. The response is also below the required 150 words, which limits the detail you can report. Develop the final stages and describe the cycle more fully.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable sequence, moving from plant growth through processing to fuel use, and the overview is separated from the stage-by-stage account. This gives the reader a basic structure. However, the final paragraph ends abruptly at “Whne”, so the process is left unfinished and the progression is incomplete. Some links between stages are also unclear: “The remaining part is now cellulose sent to the factories” compresses several steps, while “This produced” does not clearly refer to a specific stage. Use complete paragraphs and connect each stage explicitly with accurate sequencing expressions such as “Next” and “Finally”. A concluding sentence about carbon dioxide returning to the plants would make the cycle’s progression clear.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “harvested”, “cellulose”, “microbes” and “carbon dioxide”, and terms such as “cycle” and “fuel” help convey the topic. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate, which makes parts of the description less clear. For example, “prepare food” is an imprecise way to describe the role of sunlight and carbon dioxide, and “break molecules for the formation of ethanol” does not clearly express the conversion shown. There are also spelling errors such as “processining”, “futher” and “Whne”. Aim for precise process language, for example “convert cellulose into sugars” and “release carbon dioxide”, and check spelling carefully.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including the overview sentence beginning “Overall” and the clause “which then changes to ethanol”. However, errors are frequent and sometimes make relationships between stages difficult to follow. The opening has subject–verb disagreement (“diagram explain”), and “The trees being harvested and go through processining” is not a complete, correctly formed sentence. Other examples include “The cellulose decompose” and “The microorganism are”, where subject–verb agreement is incorrect. Sentence boundaries and punctuation also need attention: “it.This” has no space, and the final sentence is unfinished. Practise forming complete sentences with consistent present-simple verbs, and check agreement, articles and punctuation before submitting.
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.
