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Cambridge 20 Writing Task 1 Test 4 - 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 Bamboo Fabric Is Made
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.
The Data
How bamboo fabric is made: process stages
1. Planting: Bamboo plants are planted in spring.
2. Harvesting: Mature bamboo is harvested in autumn.
3. Cutting: Harvested bamboo is cut into narrow strips.
4. Crushing: Strips are crushed to make a liquid pulp.
5. Filtering: The pulp is filtered to separate long fibres from the liquid.
6. Softening: Fibres are softened by adding water and amine oxide.
7. Spinning: Softened fibres are spun to make yarn.
8. Weaving: Yarn is woven to make fabric.
9. Finished products: The finished bamboo fabric is made into clothing items such as socks and T-shirts.
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174 wordsNames the one comparison that matters (mechanical vs chemical stages) and reports every step with precise, varied language.
The diagram illustrates the process by which bamboo plants are transformed into fabric, from initial cultivation through to the manufacture of finished clothing items.
Overall, the process consists of nine distinct stages, beginning with the planting of bamboo and ending with the production of garments such as socks and T-shirts, and it involves both mechanical processing, such as cutting and crushing, and chemical treatment of the raw plant material.
The process begins when bamboo plants are planted in spring, and continues once the plant reaches maturity, at which point it is harvested in autumn. The harvested bamboo is then cut into narrow strips before being crushed to produce a liquid pulp. This pulp undergoes a filtering stage in which the long fibres are separated from the surrounding liquid.
Following this, the extracted fibres are softened through the addition of water and amine oxide, a chemical treatment that prepares them for spinning into yarn. The yarn is subsequently woven into fabric, which forms the final material used to manufacture bamboo clothing, including socks and T-shirts.
Examiner Notes
Task Achievement: Covers all nine stages accurately and the overview correctly identifies both the start and end points of the process and the distinction between mechanical and chemical processing, which is the single most useful generalisation a reader could take from the diagram.
Coherence & Cohesion: A dedicated overview paragraph precedes a chronologically ordered account of every stage; sequencing language ("begins", "continues", "following this", "subsequently") is varied and never mechanical.
Lexical Resource: Precise process vocabulary ("initial cultivation", "mechanical processing", "chemical treatment", "extracted fibres") used accurately throughout, with no repetition of basic verbs.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Wide range of passive constructions used with full accuracy to describe a process in which the subject is acted upon, plus accurate relative and participle clauses.
Band 8
151 wordsAccurate and complete, with passive voice used correctly throughout, just slightly plainer in its key overview statement.
The diagram shows the stages involved in making fabric from bamboo, starting with growing the plant and ending with finished clothing products.
Overall, there are nine steps in the process, and the bamboo goes through both physical processes like cutting and crushing, and a chemical process to soften the fibres, before it is finally turned into woven fabric.
First, bamboo plants are planted in spring, and they are harvested once fully grown in autumn. After harvesting, the bamboo is cut into narrow strips, which are then crushed to create a liquid pulp. This pulp is filtered to separate the fibres from the liquid part.
Next, the fibres are softened by adding water and a chemical called amine oxide. Once softened, the fibres are spun into yarn, and this yarn is woven to produce the fabric. Finally, the finished bamboo fabric is used to make clothing items such as socks and T-shirts.
Examiner Notes
Task Achievement: Covers all nine stages accurately with a genuine overview, but the overview's key distinction ("physical processes... and a chemical process") is a plainer version of the band 9 answer's "mechanical processing... and chemical treatment" and is stated rather than framed as the process's defining feature.
Coherence & Cohesion: Clear chronological sequencing throughout using "First", "Next" and "Finally", which is accurate but slightly more formulaic than the connective range in a band 9 answer.
Lexical Resource: Good process vocabulary overall, though "physical processes" and "a chemical process" are less precise than the more technical terms a top-band answer would choose.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Passive voice used correctly and consistently to describe each stage, with only minor plainness rather than any actual errors.
Band 7
156 wordsAll nine stages are reported accurately and in order, but the overview misses the one comparison that would lift it higher.
The diagram describes how bamboo is turned into fabric, from planting the crop to the final clothing products that are made from it.
Overall, the process has several stages and bamboo changes from a growing plant into fibres, then into yarn, and finally into finished fabric used for clothes. In total, nine separate steps take place between the initial planting and the finished garment.
At the start, bamboo plants are planted in spring and grow until autumn, when they are harvested. The bamboo is then cut into strips and crushed into a pulp. After that, the pulp is filtered to get the fibres out from the liquid part of it.
Then the fibres are made soft by adding water and a chemical. After the fibres are soft, they are spun to make yarn, and the yarn is woven into fabric. Last, the fabric is used to make products like socks and T-shirts for people to wear.
Examiner Notes
Task Achievement: Covers all nine stages and the overview correctly identifies the plant-to-fibre-to-yarn-to-fabric progression, though it does not mention the mechanical/chemical distinction that the higher-band answers use to add analytical value.
Coherence & Cohesion: Logically sequenced from start to finish, but relies on simple time markers ("Then", "After that", "Last") rather than the more varied linking seen in stronger answers.
Lexical Resource: Adequate range for the task ("crop", "progression" attempted through paraphrase) but some repetition of "then" and "after" and less precise phrasing ("the liquid part of it").
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Passive voice is used reasonably consistently, with generally good control; occasional slightly awkward phrasing ("the liquid part of it") but meaning is always clear.
Band 6.5
153 wordsEvery stage is reported in the right order, but verb-form errors appear in almost every sentence.
The diagram show how fabric is make from bamboo plant, start from planting until it become clothes at the end.
Overall, there is many step in this process and bamboo change from plant to fibre and then to yarn and fabric at the end of the process. This whole process take many month to finish because bamboo plant need time to grow before it can be cut and use for make fabric.
First, bamboo plant is plant in spring and it grow until autumn when it can harvest. After that bamboo is cut to strip and then it crush to make pulp. The pulp is filter to take out the fibre from liquid.
Next the fibre is soften by put water and chemical in it. When fibre is soft, it spin to make yarn and yarn is weave to make fabric. Finally the fabric is use to make product like sock and T-shirt.
Examiner Notes
Task Achievement: All nine stages are present and in the right order, and there is a genuine overview attempt, but it is thin ("there is many step") rather than identifying any real pattern in the process.
Coherence & Cohesion: Sequencing is logical and follows the diagram accurately, using "First", "After that", "Next" and "Finally", though this is a narrow set of connectors repeated with little variation.
Lexical Resource: Basic but adequate vocabulary for reporting a process; some imprecise word choices ("take out the fibre" instead of "extract") but meaning stays clear throughout.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Frequent subject-verb agreement and verb-form errors ("diagram show", "is make", "bamboo plant is plant", "it grow", "it crush", "is filter", "it spin", "yarn is weave", "fabric is use") appear on almost every sentence. These errors are noticeable throughout but rarely prevent the reader from following the sequence.
Band 4-5 - What to Avoid
78 wordsNo overview, a stray personal opinion in a report task, and verb errors in almost every sentence: a genuine band 4-5 answer.
Bamboo fabric is make from bamboo plant. First bamboo is plant. Then it grow big. After it cut down.
Bamboo is cut small piece. Then machine crush it. It become like liquid. This liquid have fibre inside.
Fibre is clean and soft with water and chemical thing. Then it spin to yarn. Yarn make into fabric.
Fabric is use for make clothes like sock and shirt. This is how bamboo become clothes, it is interesting process I think.
Examiner Notes
Task Achievement: There is no overview paragraph at all, so the reader gets no sense of the process as a whole, only a list of short, disconnected actions. The closing comment ("it is interesting process I think") is a personal opinion, which has no place in a Task 1 report and signals the writer has misunderstood the task type. At 97 words, the response is far under the 150-word minimum.
Coherence & Cohesion: Ideas are broken into very short sentences with almost no linking beyond "Then" and "After", and paragraphing does not separate an overview from supporting detail because there is no overview to separate.
Lexical Resource: Vocabulary is extremely basic and repetitive ("is make", "is use", "is cut"), with vague phrasing ("chemical thing") standing in for the specific term "amine oxide" given in the diagram.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Serious, frequent errors: missing third-person and past-tense verb forms throughout ("is make", "is plant", "it grow", "Yarn make into fabric", "Fabric is use") make several sentences read as unedited notes rather than connected prose.
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Sign Up Free →These sample answers are written independently for Prep IELTS Now to illustrate real band-score differences. They are a study aid, not official Cambridge or IELTS material.