Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-02

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 figure illustrates the process of biofuel called ethanol production. First of all, sunlight energy and carbon dioxide farms the plants and trees, then the farmer harvests the crops and then the crops send towards the preprocessing machine. The machine makes the crops to a form called cellulose which is then send towards the processing machine to make sugars from these cellulose. The microbes which are bacteria then added to the sugars to produce ethanol which is used as a fuel to the cars, trucks and planes.

Most of the vehicles emits carbon dioxide in the air which then combines with sunlight energy to grow plants and trees which is the first step we discussed earlier. This cyclic process tells us how ethanol fuel is made which is then used all over the world. Moreover, the vehicles emitting carbon dioxide increases the rate of carbon dioxide in the air and somehow it is very dangerous for our lungs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the diagram as a production cycle and cover its main stages, from plant growth and harvesting through cellulose, sugars, microbes and ethanol, then connect vehicle use with carbon dioxide returning to plant growth. This gives the reader the basic process. However, some details are inaccurate or added without support: sunlight and carbon dioxide do not simply “farm” the plants, and the diagram shows carbon dioxide as part of the growth cycle rather than claiming that emissions increase its rate or are dangerous to lungs. The overview is also brief and does not clearly distinguish the production stages from the later fuel-use and recycling stages. Describe the cycle neutrally and report only what the diagram shows to make the account more complete and precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows the diagram’s general sequence, and “First of all” and “then” help signal the order of several stages. The second paragraph also returns to the cycle, so the reader can see how vehicle emissions relate to plant growth. However, the account is presented as two long blocks with limited internal organisation, and repeated use of “then” makes the progression mechanical. Some references are unclear, such as “the crops send towards the preprocessing machine” and “which is the first step we discussed earlier.” The final comments about worldwide use and lung danger interrupt the process description rather than extending it. Use a concise overview followed by clearly grouped production and fuel-use stages, with more precise linking and referencing.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “harvests,” “cellulose,” “processing,” “sugars,” “microbes” and “ethanol,” which allows you to name the key stages. There is some attempt to vary wording with “produce” and “used as a fuel.” However, several choices are inaccurate or awkward for describing a diagram: “sunlight energy and carbon dioxide farms the plants,” “crops send towards,” and “makes the crops to a form” do not express the intended relationships naturally. “Preprocessing machine” also suggests a specific machine that the diagram does not identify. Aim for precise process collocations such as “plants grow,” “the material is pre-processed,” and “cellulose is converted into sugars.” Avoid unsupported evaluative wording such as “very dangerous for our lungs.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and linked sentences, including a sequence joined with “which is then” and a second sentence explaining the cycle. The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but errors in verb forms, agreement and sentence construction occur repeatedly. For example, “carbon dioxide farms” has incorrect agreement and verb choice, “the crops send towards” lacks a suitable passive construction, and “the microbes … then added” is missing an auxiliary verb. In “Most of the vehicles emits,” the plural subject does not agree with the verb; “which is then used” also has an unclear reference. Practise accurate passive forms for process descriptions (“is harvested,” “is converted,” “are added”) and check subject–verb agreement and clause references when editing.

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