Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-26

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 6.0)

The image is a flow cycle diagram which tells us about the biofuel production specifically how ethanol is made.

Overall, it can be seen that Carbon Dioxide is being released in high amount in the environment from different activities.

From the flow diagram it is very clear that carbon dioxide from aeroplane, car and truck is released into the environment. Plants and crops consume carbon dioxide as an energy source and when these crops are harvested it will have that carbon dioxide in disolved form.

Another interesting point is that when these crops are under processing that carbon dioxide turns into cellulose. That cellulose after processing on industrial scale turns in to sugar products. After that, specific microbes are added into those sugar compounds that coverts them into ethanol. This is how ethanol is produced. That ethanol is being used in different vehicles and industries as biofuel. In the end that fuel is also converted in to carbon dioxide which is being released into the environment and the cycle goes on.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the diagram as a cycle and describe several key stages, including harvesting, processing, adding microbes and producing ethanol. However, some important details are misrepresented: plants use sunlight and carbon dioxide as they grow, rather than crops consuming carbon dioxide as an energy source, and cellulose does not turn into carbon dioxide during processing; it is processed into sugars. The account also omits pre-processing as a distinct stage and does not clearly explain that ethanol is used by cars, trucks and aircraft before carbon dioxide returns to the plants. Your overview notes carbon dioxide release, but could more accurately summarise the linked production and recycling cycle. These relevant but unevenly developed details fit the level of task coverage shown.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, a brief overview and a paragraph tracing the process. Sequencing phrases such as “After that” and “In the end” help the reader follow the stages. However, the progression is not always precise because some steps are compressed or linked inaccurately—for example, “when these crops are harvested it will have that carbon dioxide in disolved form” does not clearly connect harvesting to the next stage. The repeated use of “carbon dioxide” and “processing” also makes the account feel somewhat mechanical, while “Another interesting point” does not signal a meaningful contrast. Grouping the stages more carefully and using clearer references would strengthen cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “harvested,” “cellulose,” “microbes,” “ethanol” and “biofuel,” which helps communicate the subject. There are also attempts at more specific phrasing, such as “industrial scale.” Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or imprecise: “released in high amount” is awkward, “consume carbon dioxide as an energy source” misstates the relationship, and “sugar products” is less exact than the diagram’s “sugars.” Spelling errors such as “disolved” and “converts” (where the intended form is “convert”) also reduce accuracy. More precise process terms and natural collocations would make the description clearer and more controlled.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including a relative clause in “which tells us about the biofuel production” and a time clause beginning “when these crops are harvested.” Most sentences remain understandable, but some grammatical errors occur. For example, “carbon dioxide … is released” is followed by the plural list of vehicles, while “microbes … coverts them” has a subject–verb agreement error. The sentence “when these crops are harvested it will have…” also shifts from plural “crops” to singular “it” without a clear referent. There are occasional article and punctuation issues, including the comma needed after the introductory “Overall” clause. Greater control of agreement, reference and sentence boundaries would improve accuracy.

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