Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-03

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 given diagram illustrates the process of how bioful named ethanol is produced.

The process starts with the plants and trees that grow by consuming the energy from sunlight and carbon dioxide which helps them to grow bigger.Then the planta and the trees are harvested and these plants and trees then go through the process of pre-processing resulting in the form of cellulose.

After that they are processed in the idustries to make sugar which later on is added with Microbes which then produce ethanol.Ethanol is then used by different mode of transportation such as planes, trucks and cars which then results in the production of carbon dioxide which is then later on used as energy for plants and trees to grow and forms a life cycle of how ethanol is produced.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main stages, from plant growth and harvesting through processing, sugar, microbes and ethanol, and you recognise the cycle linking transport emissions back to plant growth. However, the account is brief and some details are incomplete or inaccurate: the diagram shows sunlight and carbon dioxide supporting plant growth, while carbon dioxide released by the vehicles returns to the plants; it does not say that this carbon dioxide is itself used “as energy.” The overview of the cyclical nature is useful, but the stages and relationships need clearer, fuller reporting. The response also falls 18 words short of the required 150, limiting the detail you can include. Add a concise overview and explain the key inputs, outputs and cycle accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The stages are presented in a broadly logical order, and sequencing phrases such as “The process starts,” “After that” and “then” help the reader follow the production cycle. The final sentence also attempts to connect transport use with the return of carbon dioxide to plant growth. However, the response is written as one paragraph, so the overview and process details are not clearly separated. Several sentences are long and joined by repeated “then,” making relationships between stages feel mechanical; for example, the final sentence combines ethanol use, emissions and plant growth in one chain. Use a separate overview paragraph and group the stages into clear sections, with varied linking expressions and precise references to what each arrow represents.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “harvested,” “pre-processing,” “cellulose,” “microbes” and “carbon dioxide,” which allows the main sequence to be understood. However, the range is limited and some choices are imprecise or awkward for an academic process description. “Added with Microbes” is not a natural way to describe the diagram; “microbes are added” or “fermented by microbes” is clearer. “Industries” is also less precise than “processing facility,” and “different mode of transportation” should be expressed as “different modes of transport.” Spelling errors such as “bioful,” “planta” and “idustries” are noticeable. Aim for accurate process terms and check spelling and collocations carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt to connect several stages using subordinate clauses and relative clauses, as in “which helps them to grow bigger” and “which then produce ethanol.” The sequence is generally understandable, but the response relies heavily on long sentences joined with “then” and “which,” and some constructions are faulty. For example, “which then produce ethanol” has an unclear reference, while “which then results in the production” creates an awkward, extended clause. There are also punctuation and spacing problems, including missing spaces after full stops and an unnecessary space before “which.” Use a wider mix of shorter and complex sentences, make the subject of each clause explicit, and punctuate each stage clearly.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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