Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-22

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The diagram below shows how fabric is manufactured from bamboo.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The process diagram shows how fabric is made from bamboo trees.

Overall, the process goes nine different stages, starting from sowing seeds to converting it into finished goods like shirts and socks.

In first step, the seeds need to be sown in the month of spring. Farmers usually harvest them during Autumn season. after the harvest season, bamboo stems are further crushed into small strips by passing them through cutter. After this, these strips are crushed into liquid pulp, preparing it for the next stage of filtration. In fifth stage, long fibers gets separated from the liquid through the process of filtration. Fibers need to be soften to create clothes from them, so as a next step, water and amine oxide are added to the fibres to soften.

Moving forward, soften fibers goes through the process of spinning to develop yarn, which is later woven into finished goods like shirts and socks for commercial use.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the bamboo manufacturing process, from cultivation to the final product. The overview is clear, identifying the nine stages. However, the description of the process is somewhat mechanical and lacks a more analytical approach to the 'main features' or significant comparisons. While the sequence is followed, the explanation of the chemical processes (such as the addition of amine oxide) is slightly simplified. To reach a higher band, ensure that the relationship between stages is more clearly articulated, and focus on highlighting the most significant transformations rather than just listing each step sequentially.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. The progression of ideas follows the chronological order of the diagram. Cohesive devices such as 'In first step', 'After this', and 'Moving forward' are used to link the stages. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the use of articles and prepositions in these linking phrases could be improved for better flow. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the transition between the harvesting phase and the chemical processing phase could be smoother to enhance the overall cohesion of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using terms like 'cultivation', 'harvest', 'liquid pulp', and 'filtration'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'soften fibers' (should be 'softened fibers') and 'finished goods' (which is acceptable but could be more precise). The range is sufficient to convey the process clearly, but it lacks the more sophisticated, technical collocations that would demonstrate a wider lexical range. To improve, focus on using more precise verbs and adjectives to describe the industrial transformations, such as 'processed', 'extracted', or 'synthesized'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'the process goes nine different stages' (should be 'goes through'), 'In first step' (should be 'In the first step'), and 'long fibers gets separated' (should be 'get separated'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures and ensuring consistent grammatical accuracy, especially with pluralization and verb tenses, would significantly improve the score.

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

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