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)
The diagram illustrates different stages involed in production of ethanol started from plantation, harvesting of trees ended at use of ethanol in vehicles.
Overall, Firstly, plants and trees have grown in good sunlight, further harvested, and then went through different stages including chemical procedure. while, some sugar and micobes added in solution to achieve ethanol which further used as fuel for vehicles.
At initial stage, contamination od Carbon dioxide and sunlight helped in production of plat and tress. These plants then harvedted with help of tractor, and then prprocessed with help of a machine. This machine converted processed material in cellulose which further went through a chemical process. Completion of chemical process resulted in production of sugars which has unusual structure. Microbes are added in sugar material resulting in production of ethanol after differnt stages. This ethanol furter used as a fuel. This fuel is used by cars , trucks , and jets which emmited carbon dioxide again. This carbor dioxide raised up in atomosphere again. This repeated process happened ag
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
You cover the main stages from plant growth through harvesting, processing, sugar production and the addition of microbes, and you also mention ethanol being used by vehicles and carbon dioxide returning to the plants. This gives the reader a relevant account of the cycle. However, the overview is not clearly separated from the details, and some points are unclear or unsupported: for example, the diagram does not say that the sugars have an “unusual structure” or that ethanol is produced “after different stages.” The opening also describes the process as starting from plantation, rather than explaining the cycle’s key feature: carbon dioxide released during fuel use is taken up as plants grow. Make that cyclical relationship explicit and report the stages more precisely.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response follows the broad sequence of the diagram, and the final reference to carbon dioxide returning to the atmosphere connects the end of the process to its beginning. However, the organisation is weakened by an unclear overview and by transitions that do not always show the relationships between stages. “Overall, Firstly” combines two different paragraph functions, while “while” begins a fragment-like continuation rather than a clearly linked sentence. The final sentence is also cut off at “This repeated process happened ag,” which interrupts progression. Use a distinct overview, then group the stages in order, with clear links such as “Next,” “Following this,” and “Finally.”
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use some task-relevant terms, including “harvesting,” “cellulose,” “microbes,” “ethanol,” and “carbon dioxide,” which help identify the process. However, spelling errors and imprecise or unnatural word choices are noticeable and sometimes make the description harder to follow: “involed,” “micobes,” “contamination of Carbon dioxide,” and “raised up in atomosphere” are examples. “Chemical procedure” and “unusual structure” are also vague or unsupported descriptions. Aim for accurate process vocabulary and natural collocations, such as “absorbs carbon dioxide,” “is converted into cellulose,” and “is used as fuel.” Proofreading spelling and choosing precise verbs would make your meaning clearer.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and longer sentences, including a sequence of clauses describing harvesting, processing and conversion. However, control is inconsistent, particularly in verb forms, sentence boundaries and agreement. For example, “plants and trees have grown … harvested, and then went through” shifts between forms, while “Completion of chemical process resulted” is missing an article and has an awkward clause structure. The sentence beginning “Overall, Firstly” is not properly formed, and the response ends with an incomplete sentence. Practise describing process stages consistently in the present simple or passive voice—for example, “The plants are harvested and then pre-processed”—and check that each sentence has a complete main clause.
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