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 diagram below provides the information about the production of a biofuel called ethanol.

Overall, the production involves several procedure. It starts with the sunlight and carbon dioxide while ends with adding microbes. It includes harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose, chemical processing, sugars and microbes.

First of all it starts with energy sunlight which comes from the sun and carbon dioxide released by various transports such as plane, truck and car. Plants and trees utilise those carbon dioxide and sunlight in order to grow and provide crops. After harvesting the crops it goes to the pre-processing section and it makes cellulose.

The next step is the cellulose goes through the chemical processing and it makes sugars. The final step is adding the microbes to sugars which creates the ethanol gas. Transports releases the carbon dioxide which mixes with the sunlight and trees and plants consume the gas. That's how the ethanol gas has been recycling.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the process as a cycle and report several key stages, including harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose, processing, sugars and the addition of microbes. You also recognise the link between transport use and carbon dioxide returning to plant growth. This gives the account a relevant overview and covers the main sequence. However, the overview is not fully accurate: production does not end with adding microbes, but continues to ethanol and its use as fuel. Some details are also unclear or imprecise, such as saying the crops “provide crops” and describing ethanol as a gas. To strengthen the response, report the complete cycle clearly, including ethanol being used by vehicles and aircraft and the resulting carbon dioxide being absorbed by growing plants.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview and paragraphs that follow the process from plant growth through to ethanol and carbon dioxide. Sequencing phrases such as “First of all,” “The next step” and “The final step” help the reader follow the stages. However, the overview says the process ends with microbes, while the final paragraph continues to ethanol and transport, so the progression is not fully consistent. Some references are also unclear: “it goes to the pre-processing section” does not specify whether “it” means the harvested crops or another material. Use more precise references and connect the final fuel-use and carbon-recycling stages explicitly to the earlier stages.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “harvesting,” “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “chemical processing” and “microbes,” which helps convey the diagram’s stages. The range is adequate for the topic, but several choices are imprecise or unnatural and limit clarity. For example, “ethanol gas” is not an appropriate description here, and “how the ethanol gas has been recycling” is an awkward way to describe the cycle. “Energy sunlight” and “provide crops” are also unclear collocations. Aim for accurate process language and vary repeated terms such as “starts” and “makes”; this will make the description more precise without requiring unnecessarily technical vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including a purpose clause in “in order to grow” and a relative clause in “which comes from the sun.” The main stages are generally understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “involves several procedure” needs a plural noun, and “while ends with” is missing a subject. In “the cellulose goes through the chemical processing and it makes sugars,” the pronoun reference is unclear and the sentence structure is awkward. The final sentence, “That's how the ethanol gas has been recycling,” also has an incorrect verb form. Practise complete clauses, subject–verb agreement and accurate passive forms, such as “the cellulose is processed” and “sugars are produced.”

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