Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The diagram illustrates how a biofuel called ethanol is produced which is benefits for cars, trucks, airplans etc.

Overall, there are 6 stage to produce ethanol which is mainly start from trees and end with microbes then use it to many types of vehicle which make carbon dioxide.

In start of the paragraph, trees are harvested by a truck. This harvesting trees are send for pre-processing. After this, its made Cellulose. After making Cellulose, its send for final processing. After processed it, its produce sugars. Next stage is adding Microbes with the sugars. And finally, Ethanol are produced only for Microbes and Sugars. Many people use this for their vehicles such as cars, trucks, airplanes for running their engine. This vehicles produced carbon dioxide which is benefits for trees.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the subject and give a basic account of several production stages, including harvesting, pre-processing, cellulose, processing, sugars and the addition of microbes. However, the overview is inaccurate: the cycle begins with plants growing through sunlight and carbon dioxide, and ethanol is produced after microbes are added; it does not “end with microbes.” The description also omits the initial growth stage and the return of carbon dioxide from vehicles to the plants, which is a key feature of the diagram. The claim that ethanol is produced “only for Microbes and Sugars” is unclear and misrepresents the process. The response is 129 words, below the required 150, so the process is only partially covered. Add the missing cycle stages and explain the overall relationship more accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and a sequence of process details. Words such as “After this,” “Next stage” and “finally” help signal order. However, progression is not consistently clear because the overview says the process ends with microbes, while the later account says ethanol is produced after microbes are added. The final sentences shift abruptly from production to vehicle use and carbon dioxide, without clearly linking these stages back to plant growth. Some linking phrases are repetitive or awkward, and references such as “it” and “This vehicles” do not always make the intended subject clear. Group the stages in a logical sequence and use explicit links to show how carbon dioxide completes the cycle.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “harvested,” “pre-processing,” “Cellulose,” “sugars” and “carbon dioxide,” so the reader can identify the general topic and several stages. However, the range is limited and some word choices or combinations are inaccurate, making parts of the explanation difficult to understand. For example, “which is benefits for cars” and “Ethanol are produced only for Microbes and Sugars” do not express the intended meaning clearly. There are also spelling errors in “airplans” and inconsistent capitalisation of common process terms. Aim for precise process language and natural collocations, such as describing ethanol as being used as fuel and carbon dioxide as being released by vehicles and absorbed by growing plants.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response mainly uses short, simple statements and attempts a few longer structures, but grammatical errors are frequent and sometimes make relationships between stages unclear. Examples include “there are 6 stage,” “trees are harvested by a truck,” and “This vehicles produced carbon dioxide,” which show problems with plural agreement, passive constructions and subject–verb agreement. Verb forms are also unreliable in “its made Cellulose” and “After processed it, its produce sugars.” The sentence beginning “Overall” is difficult to follow because its clauses are not joined accurately. Practise forming clear passive sentences for a process, for example, “The harvested trees are pre-processed, producing cellulose.” Check agreement, articles and verb forms, and use a wider range of accurately controlled sentence patterns.

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