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Cambridge 19 Writing Task 1 Test 3 - Sample Answers (Band 9 to 4-5)
Real band 9, 8, 7 and 6.5 sample answers for this prompt, plus a genuine band 4-5 answer so you can see exactly what pulls a score down. Every sample comes with examiner-style notes on Task Achievement, Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range & Accuracy.
The Prompt
How Ethanol (Biofuel) is Produced
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.
Write at least 150 words.
The Data
Biofuel production: how ethanol is made (7 stages)
1. Sunlight and CO2 absorbed: Plants grow by absorbing sunlight and carbon dioxide through photosynthesis
2. Plants harvested: Crops such as sugar cane, corn or wheat are harvested and collected
3. Plant material crushed and mixed with water: Crushed plant material is combined with water to create a liquid mixture
4. Microbes (yeast) added: Yeast is added to the liquid mixture, triggering fermentation
5. Fermentation occurs: Yeast converts sugars into ethanol and releases carbon dioxide
6. Ethanol distilled and purified: Ethanol is separated through distillation and purified for use as biofuel
7. CO2 released back to atmosphere: Carbon dioxide from fermentation returns to the atmosphere, completing the cycle
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184 wordsCorrectly frames the whole process as a closed cycle rather than simply listing seven separate steps.
The diagram illustrates the process by which the biofuel ethanol is produced from plant material, comprising seven sequential stages that together form a cycle.
Overall, the process begins with plants absorbing sunlight and carbon dioxide and ends with carbon dioxide being released back into the atmosphere, forming a closed carbon cycle rather than a simple linear sequence, with fermentation marking the central stage at which sugars are converted into ethanol.
The process begins as plants grow, absorbing sunlight and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. These plants, such as sugar cane, corn, or wheat, are subsequently harvested and collected for processing, then crushed and combined with water to produce a liquid mixture.
Microbes, specifically yeast, are then added to this mixture, triggering fermentation, during which the yeast converts the plant sugars into ethanol while simultaneously releasing carbon dioxide as a by-product. The resulting ethanol is then separated from the remaining liquid through distillation and purified for use as biofuel, while the carbon dioxide released during fermentation returns to the atmosphere, completing the cycle that began with the original plants absorbing that same gas.
Examiner Notes
Task Achievement: Accurately covers all seven stages in the correct sequence with a clear overview identifying the process as a closed cycle rather than a linear sequence.
Coherence & Cohesion: Clear overview followed by chronological detail, linked with accurate sequencing language ("subsequently", "simultaneously").
Lexical Resource: Wide range of precise process vocabulary ("photosynthesis", "by-product", "closed carbon cycle") used accurately.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Wide range of accurate structures, including passive voice used appropriately for describing a process.
Band 8
157 wordsAccurate and clearly organised, just slightly less varied in its vocabulary than a band 9 answer.
The diagram shows how the biofuel ethanol is produced from plant material, through seven stages.
Overall, the process starts with plants absorbing sunlight and carbon dioxide and ends with carbon dioxide going back into the atmosphere, forming a cycle rather than a simple straight line of steps, with fermentation as the key stage where sugars become ethanol.
The process begins as plants grow by absorbing sunlight and carbon dioxide. These plants are then harvested and collected, then crushed and mixed with water to make a liquid.
Yeast is then added to this liquid, causing fermentation, during which the yeast turns the plant sugars into ethanol and releases carbon dioxide. The ethanol is then separated through distillation and purified for use as fuel, while the carbon dioxide goes back into the atmosphere, completing the cycle. No stage in this process is skipped or repeated, and each step depends directly on the material produced in the stage before it.
Examiner Notes
Task Achievement: Covers all seven stages accurately with a clear overview, including the closed-cycle nature of the process, though described a little more simply than in the band 9 answer.
Coherence & Cohesion: Clearly organised with an overview followed by chronological detail; cohesive devices are accurate throughout.
Lexical Resource: Good range of process vocabulary, though slightly less varied than the higher-band answer's phrasing.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Accurate throughout, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including passive forms.
Band 7
154 wordsAll seven stages are correctly reported, but the cyclical nature of the process is only loosely mentioned rather than clearly explained.
The diagram shows how ethanol is made from plants, in seven steps.
Overall, the process starts with plants absorbing sunlight and carbon dioxide, and ends with carbon dioxide going back into the air, making it a cycle.
First, plants grow using sunlight and carbon dioxide. They are then harvested and crushed with water to make a liquid.
Yeast is added to this liquid, which causes fermentation and turns the sugar into ethanol, releasing carbon dioxide. The ethanol is then separated and purified, and the carbon dioxide goes back into the air. This whole process forms a cycle rather than a simple line of steps, because the carbon dioxide released at the end returns to the atmosphere, where it can later be absorbed again by new plants growing for the next batch of ethanol, making the process more environmentally sustainable than fuels made from fossil sources. This closed-loop design is a key advantage of biofuels.
Examiner Notes
Task Achievement: Reports all seven stages accurately with a basic overview, but the overview does not clearly explain why the process forms a cycle the way the higher-band answers do.
Coherence & Cohesion: Clearly organised in chronological order, though the stages are listed with fairly plain connecting language throughout.
Lexical Resource: Adequate range for the task; some repetition of "then" as the main sequencing word.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Generally accurate, mostly simple sentence structures with some passive forms; meaning is always clear.
Band 6.5
154 wordsAll seven stages are correctly reported, but agreement and passive-voice errors appear in almost every sentence.
The diagram show how ethanol is make from plant, in seven step.
Overall, the process start with plant absorbing sunlight and carbon dioxide, and end with carbon dioxide going back into the air, making it a cycle.
First, plant grow using sunlight and carbon dioxide. They is then harvest and crush with water to make a liquid.
Yeast is add to this liquid, which cause fermentation and turn the sugar into ethanol, releasing carbon dioxide. The ethanol is then separate and purify, and the carbon dioxide go back into the air. This whole process form a cycle rather than a simple line of step, because the carbon dioxide release at the end return to the atmosphere, where it can later be absorb again by new plant growing for the next batch of ethanol, making the process more environmentally sustainable than fuel made from fossil source. This closed-loop design is a key advantage of biofuel.
Examiner Notes
Task Achievement: Reports all seven stages accurately, matching the content of the band 7 answer.
Coherence & Cohesion: Clearly organised in chronological order, following the same structure as the higher-band answers.
Lexical Resource: Limited by "plant" and "step" being used without their plural forms throughout.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Frequent subject-verb agreement and passive-voice errors ("diagram show", "is harvest", "is add") appear in nearly every sentence.
Band 4-5 - What to Avoid
28 wordsFive of the seven stages are missing entirely, and a personal opinion is inserted into what should be a factual process report.
This show how ethanol is made.
They mix plant and yeast, this is science I think.
Biofuel is good for environment, this is my opinion about this diagram.
Examiner Notes
Task Achievement: Only two of the seven stages (mixing and fermentation) are vaguely referenced, five stages including harvesting, distillation, and the return of carbon dioxide are missing entirely, and a personal opinion is inserted, which has no place in a Task 1 report. At well under 150 words, the response is also underlength.
Coherence & Cohesion: Reads as disconnected remarks rather than a chronological account of the process.
Lexical Resource: Vague, repetitive vocabulary ("mix plant and yeast") used instead of the specific process terms shown in the diagram.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Frequent errors throughout ("this show", "biofuel is good for environment").
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