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 process diagram illustrates how a biofuel called etanol is produced.

Overall, this is a circle process diagram type, it follow the both natural and man made process. The diagram start with the plants and trees grow, and finish with emission of carbon dioxide.

To began with, plants and trees grow in the field, which was getting energy from sunlight and carbon dioxide. After done harvesting process, pre-proccesing step started, then cellulose and processing was the next step.

At the next stage, they turned into it sugars and for the futher step they added microbes. Ather Ethanol they distribute it diferent sectore and used in vehicales such as car,truck and air sector. In the end, this vehicales help to produce carbon dioxide and tress consume at energey to grow.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the diagram as a production process and include several key stages, from plant growth and harvesting through cellulose, sugars, microbes and ethanol. You also recognise the overall carbon cycle and mention transport uses. However, the account is only partial: the overview says the process “finish[es] with emission of carbon dioxide,” without clearly explaining that carbon dioxide from vehicles returns to support plant growth. Some stages are compressed or unclear, especially “cellulose and processing was the next step,” and the three transport modes are not all accurately named. The response is also 21 words below the required minimum, limiting the detail you can provide. Develop the overview and explain the sequence and cycle more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall order: an introduction and overview are followed by stages from plant growth to vehicle use. Sequencing phrases such as “To began with,” “After,” and “At the next stage” help the reader follow the process. However, the progression becomes difficult to track in places because several stages are packed into one sentence, and references such as “they turned into it sugars” do not make clear what “they” refers to. The final sentence also combines vehicle emissions and plant growth without clearly showing the return cycle. Use separate sentences for distinct stages and make each link explicit—for example, state that microbes are added to the sugars to produce ethanol, then explain how vehicle emissions return to the plants.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “harvesting,” “cellulose,” “microbes,” and “carbon dioxide,” which allows the main subject to be understood. However, the range is limited and several word-choice, spelling, and collocation errors make parts of the description difficult to interpret: “circle process diagram type,” “futher step,” “diferent sectore,” and “air sector.” “Etanol” is also misspelled, and “distribute it” is not a natural way to describe ethanol being used as fuel. Choose precise process language such as “circular process,” “subsequent stage,” and “transport modes,” and check spelling carefully. More accurate vocabulary would help you describe the diagram’s stages and cycle without relying on vague wording.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including the relative clause “which was getting energy from sunlight and carbon dioxide.” However, grammatical errors occur frequently and sometimes make relationships between stages unclear. For example, “Overall, this is a circle process diagram type, it follow” joins clauses incorrectly and has subject–verb disagreement; “To began with” uses the wrong verb form; and “After done harvesting process” lacks a grammatical structure. There are also tense and agreement problems in “plants and trees grow” followed by “which was getting,” and “cellulose and processing was.” Practise forming complete clauses with consistent present simple tense for process descriptions, and use clear patterns such as “After harvesting, the material is pre-processed.”

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