Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-18

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 diagram illustrates the process of manufacturing fabric from bamboo. The process starts with harvesting bamboo and ends with the manufacturing of garments.

Overall, the process consists of nine different steps, beginning with harvesting bamboo and ending with the manufacturing of clothes.

Firstly, bamboo plants are planted in the fields in the spring. They are then harvested in the autumn. Next, bamboo is cut into strips, and these strips are crushed to produce liquid pulp. Subsequently, the crushed strips go through filtration procedure. This is because long fibres are separated from the liquid pulp. After that, amino acid and water are added to softened fibers.

Finally, the fabric spin into spinning wheels, which helps to make yarn, and converted into weave to make fabric from it. The fabric is used to manufature the garments.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the overall stages of manufacturing fabric from bamboo, starting with planting and harvesting and ending with garment production. However, the word count is 134 words, which falls short of the 150-word minimum requirement, resulting in a necessary penalty. While the student outlines the main steps, some intermediate details from the diagram—such as cutting into strips, crushing into pulp, filtration, and adding chemicals—are slightly compressed or inaccurately described (e.g., mentioning 'amino acid' instead of 'amine oxide' as stated in the transcription). An overview is provided, but the lack of sufficient length and development prevents a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The text is organised into logical paragraphs, including an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs detailing the sequential steps of the process. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Then', 'Next', 'Subsequently', and 'Finally' are used to guide the reader through the stages of the diagram. However, paragraphing is somewhat fragmented, with a very short one-sentence overview paragraph, and referencing is occasionally clunky. Overall organisation is coherent, but paragraph structure requires better consolidation.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a process, including terms like 'manufacturing', 'harvesting', 'filtration', 'fibres', and 'garments'. There are, however, some lexical inaccuracies and confusion regarding specific terms from the prompt, such as 'amino acid' instead of 'amine oxide' and awkward collocations like 'fabric spin into spinning wheels'. Spelling is generally accurate, but vocabulary control is limited at times.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writing includes a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as passive forms ('bamboo plants are planted', 'long fibres are separated'). There are, however, noticeable grammatical errors and awkward phrasing that affect readability, particularly in the concluding section where the sentence 'Finally, the fabric spin into spinning wheels... and converted into weave to make fabric from it' breaks down grammatically. Errors occur frequently enough to occasionally impede clear communication.

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

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