Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-30

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 flowchart depicts the various steps through which ethanol, a specific bio-fuel, is manufactured from raw materials.

Overall, the production of ethanol has to go from multi-stage process like from natural energies to industrial processes and many more, then we would get pure ethanol fuel.

Initially, sunlight and carbon dioxide combine together, then this combination is reflected on trees and plants for their growth. After this, harvesting process starts at this point and then those plants and trees have to go through another stage named pre-processing. Moving towards next stage, that pre-processed trees are now converted into cellulose. Now lab work starts here, that cellulose is processed and then converted into sugars.

Furthermore, sugar and microbes are combined and finally, ethanol is ready to use as a fuel. Now this fuel is used in various transport vehicles like cars, trucks, and airplanes. At last, the ethanol fuel which is used in transport vehicles releases carbon dioxide, as fuel is used by them. And that carbon dioxide again made mixture with sunlight and same process takes place.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main stages from plant growth and harvesting through processing, sugar production, and ethanol use in transport, and your overview recognises that the process moves from natural growth to industrial production. The account also captures the key recycling feature: carbon dioxide from transport returns to the plants. This gives the response a sound, mostly accurate account of the diagram. Some details are less fully or precisely reported, however. The diagram shows sunlight and carbon dioxide as inputs to plant growth, rather than saying they “combine together” and are then “reflected” on the plants. It also shows microbes being added to sugars, not explicitly that sugar and microbes are combined. To strengthen the overview, describe the cycle directly and report each stage without adding interpretations such as “pure” ethanol.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response is arranged in a clear sequence: an introduction and overview are followed by the early production stages and then the later stages and carbon cycle. Sequencing phrases such as “Initially,” “After this,” and “At last” help the reader follow the process. However, some linking is mechanical or imprecise, particularly the repeated “Now” and “then,” and “Moving towards next stage” does not connect the steps smoothly. The overview sentence is also difficult to follow because it compresses several ideas into “go from multi-stage process like from natural energies to industrial processes.” Use a more direct overview, then group the stages into clear phases and use references such as “this material” or “the resulting sugars” to make connections more precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “harvesting,” “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “processed,” and “transport vehicles,” which allows you to describe the diagram’s main stages. There are also some attempts at more specific phrasing, such as “raw materials” and “industrial processes.” At times, however, word choice or collocation is inaccurate or informal: sunlight and carbon dioxide do not “combine together” in the way described, and “lab work” is not an appropriate label for the processing stage shown. “Reflected on trees and plants” is also unclear, while “made mixture” is not a natural expression. Aim for precise process verbs such as “absorbed,” “converted,” and “released,” and avoid adding descriptions that are not supported by the diagram.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and longer sentences, and most of the process remains understandable. Some grammatical errors are present, especially in sentence construction and verb forms. For example, “has to go from multi-stage process” is missing an article and has an awkward structure; “that pre-processed trees are now converted” uses an unclear relative clause; and “that carbon dioxide again made mixture” lacks a correctly formed verb phrase. The sentence beginning “Initially” also joins ideas in a way that obscures the relationship between sunlight, carbon dioxide, and plant growth. Use straightforward passive forms for stages—“the plants are harvested,” “the material is processed,” and “carbon dioxide is released”—and check articles, verb agreement, and complete clauses when revising.

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