Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The schematic diagram depicts the various steps involved in the production of ethanol and carbon dioxide recycling in environment.

Overall, the process includes plants and trees harvesting ,pre-processing into cellulose, chemical reaction of cellulose , microbes addition in sugars.And the process ends with the ethanol production and consumption by cars , trucks and planes.

According to the illustration, plants and trees obtain energy from sunlight and carbon dioxide for their effecient growth. Afterwards, these plants and tress are harvested and transported for pre-processing. The proceedure of pre-processing is perfomed by specialized machines. Pre-processing results into cellulose production. Cellulose undergoes through chemical reactions to produce sugar. In the final step various microbes are added into sugars to produce ethanol .Ethanol is utilized by various transport vehicles such as cars , trucks and planes. Combustion of ethanol by these vehicles emmits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The released carbon dioxide is absorbed by plants and trees and the recycling goes on.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response covers the main stages and gives a clear overview of the cycle: plant growth, processing, ethanol use in transport, and carbon dioxide returning to plants. It also correctly identifies the three transport modes. This is a strong account of the diagram’s overall process. However, some details are inaccurate or over-interpreted: the diagram shows cellulose being processed into sugars, but does not specify a “chemical reaction”; nor does it show that harvested plants are transported or that specialized machines perform pre-processing. The overview’s phrase “chemical reaction of cellulose” also blurs the distinct processing stages. To strengthen the report, describe only what is shown and make the sequence from cellulose to sugars, microbes, and ethanol more precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised in a clear sequence, moving from an overview to the stages in the diagram and then to the carbon-dioxide cycle. Linking expressions such as “Afterwards,” “In the final step,” and “The released carbon dioxide” help the reader follow the process. The progression is generally logical, and the final sentence effectively returns to the starting point. Some connections could be made more smoothly: the overview compresses several stages into an unclear list, and the transition from cellulose to sugar does not clearly distinguish processing from the addition of microbes. Improve cohesion by giving each stage a clear relationship to the next and using paragraphing to separate the overview from the detailed sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

There is an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “harvested,” “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “microbes,” and “absorbed,” which allows the main stages to be communicated. The writer also uses some topic-specific terms appropriately. However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “carbon dioxide recycling in environment,” “results into,” and “combustion of ethanol by these vehicles.” Spelling errors, including “effecient,” “tress,” “proceedure,” “perfomed,” and “emmits,” also reduce control. Aim for more natural collocations and accurate spelling; for example, say that pre-processing “produces cellulose” and that vehicles “release carbon dioxide” when using ethanol.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response attempts a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including the opening overview and the sequence introduced by “Afterwards.” Most of the process remains understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. Examples include the missing article and awkward construction in “recycling in environment,” the incorrect plural possessive structure in “plants and trees obtain energy,” and “Cellulose undergoes through chemical reactions,” where the verb pattern is faulty. There are also punctuation and spacing problems, such as spaces before commas and missing spaces after full stops. Practise accurate verb patterns and article use, and proofread sentence boundaries. More consistently controlled complex sentences would help the range of structures work effectively.

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