Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-31

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 provided flowchart illustrates the manufacturing process of ethanol that is a type of biofuel.

From the overview, it is evident that it is a systematic process including many steps which are interlinked. If any step is missed, the whole process may halt. The procedure starts from plants and tress grow and ends with produce ethanol.

It can be clearly seen that first of all, the plants and trees grow and sunlight, carbon dioxide falls on the plants and trees. In second stage, harvesting is starts. Once harvesting is complete pre-processng starts .

Moving attention towards rest of the procedure, cellulose is the next step. Followed by, processind begin in this stage. After that, sugars are produce and microbes added in sugars. In the final stage, he ethanol is formed. Moreover, ethanol is put into transports such as cars, trucks and aeroplanes and transports produced carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the diagram as ethanol production and describe several central stages, including plant growth, harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose, processing, sugars, microbes and ethanol. However, the account only partly covers the process: it does not explain that ethanol is used by cars, trucks and aircraft, and that the carbon dioxide they release returns to support plant growth, which is the key circular feature. The overview is also unclear because it says the process “ends with produce ethanol,” although the diagram continues through transport and carbon-dioxide release. Some details are imprecise, such as saying sunlight and carbon dioxide “falls on” the plants. To strengthen the response, give a clear overview of the cycle and report the stages and links accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs that move through the early and later stages. Phrases such as “In second stage” and “Moving attention towards rest of the procedure” help signal progression. However, the sequence is not always easy to follow because the overview says ethanol is the endpoint, while the final paragraph adds transport and carbon dioxide. Some links are also abrupt or mechanically phrased, for example, “Followed by, processind begin in this stage.” Organise the description in the diagram’s full cycle, grouping the production stages before explaining fuel use and the return of carbon dioxide. Clearer references between stages would make the progression more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “manufacturing process,” “harvesting,” “cellulose,” “sugars,” and “microbes,” so the reader can identify many of the diagram’s stages. There is some variety in how you introduce information, such as “From the overview” and “Moving attention.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward: “sunlight, carbon dioxide falls on” and “transports produced carbon dioxide” do not express the relationships clearly. Spelling errors such as “tress,” “pre-processng,” and “processind” also reduce precision. Aim for accurate process verbs and natural collocations, for example, “plants absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide” and “vehicles release carbon dioxide.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, including “Once harvesting is complete pre-processng starts” and a sentence linking ethanol to transport and emissions. However, control of sentence structure and verb forms is inconsistent, and errors sometimes make the relationships difficult to understand. Examples include “harvesting is starts,” “sugars are produce,” and “microbes added in sugars,” where the verb forms or sentence construction are incomplete or incorrect. The overview’s “ends with produce ethanol” also needs a grammatical form such as “ends with ethanol being produced.” Use a consistent present tense for process descriptions, check subject–verb agreement, and form passive constructions accurately. More reliable sentence patterns would improve clarity.

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