Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-01

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)

A glance at the given diagram demonstrates the process of a biofuel called ethanol how it is genrated.

Overall, there are six steps of this process.First step of the process is, energy has been consumed in a form of sulight and carbon dioxide by trees and plants and last step is ethanol has been produced.

To strating with, first step of this process is, energy has been taken by trees and plants from sun and carbon dioxide from the environment.After that trees and plants has been harvested by a tractor and it will send for pre-processing.Afterwards, as a result of pre-processing small particals from the plants and trees has been reduced and it is known as a cellulose.

In fourth step, this cellulose has been sent for processing to laboratry and after that as a result sugars has been produced from that process.By follow that process, microbes has been added to sugars and finally ethanol has been genrated from this process and now this ethanol is ready to use in vehicles and this process for creating ethanol will be repeted.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the subject as ethanol production and describe several central stages, including harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose, processing, sugars and the addition of microbes. However, the overview is inaccurate: it says there are six steps and that ethanol is the last step, whereas the diagram shows a cycle, with ethanol used in transport and carbon dioxide returning to support plant growth. The response also omits the three transport modes and the carbon-dioxide loop, which are important features. Some details are not supported by the diagram, such as cellulose being produced from “small particles” and processing taking place in a “laboratory.” To improve, give an accurate overview of the cycle and report the stages and outputs without adding explanations not shown.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and a chronological account of the production stages. Sequencing expressions such as “After that,” “Afterwards” and “finally” help the reader follow the process. However, the progression becomes less clear when the overview calls the process six steps and the body refers to a “fourth step” without a consistent stage count. Several transitions are also repetitive, and the final sentence combines ethanol’s use in vehicles with the claim that the process repeats, without explaining the carbon-dioxide cycle. Organise the body into clear stages and use linking phrases selectively; a separate final sentence describing the return loop would make the overall sequence easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “harvested,” “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “sugars” and “microbes,” so the reader can identify many of the stages. There is some attempt to vary wording with phrases such as “as a result” and “produced.” However, spelling errors and imprecise or unnatural combinations reduce clarity, including “genrated,” “sulight,” “particals” and “ready to use in vehicles.” “Energy has been consumed” is also not a precise description of the diagram’s sunlight input. Aim for accurate process collocations and check spelling carefully. For example, describe plants as absorbing sunlight and carbon dioxide, and say ethanol is used as a fuel for transport rather than simply being “ready to use.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the sequence is generally understandable. However, control of sentence structure and verb forms is inconsistent, which fits this level. Examples include “trees and plants has been harvested,” where the plural subject requires a plural verb, and “first step of this process is, energy has been taken,” where the clause structure and punctuation are faulty. The sentence beginning “By follow that process” also uses an incorrect verb form, while several sentences run together with commas or no space after a full stop. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement, articles and verb forms, and divide long process descriptions into shorter sentences with clear punctuation.

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