Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-08

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The diagram below shows the manufacturing process for making sugar from sugar cane.

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

How sugar is produced from sugar cane

Student answer (Band 7.0)

The diagram below presents how sugar is produced from sugar canes with all the step-by-step processes using arrows and labels.

Overall, the most time-consuming part is growing out the sugar canes. After that comes the harvesting, crushing, purification, etc which requires various tools and industrial machines. It is a process with a large number of steps.

The first and most important step of making sugar is growing out the sugar canes which require about 12-18 months time, which is very time consuming and requires lots of patience. Without the sugar canes, there is no manufacturing of sugar. After the canes are fully grown, the harvests are made by both man and machine to maximise efficiency.

However, after the harvesting process, the rest of the work is done by various machines and tools to convert the hard sugar canes into juice, then purifying the juice with a limestone filter. Furthermore the juice is heated in an evaporator to become syrup, which is spinned around in a centrifuge to separate sugar crystals from the syrup. The final step is to dry and cool the sugar crystals in a big container, thus sugar is produced.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response gives a clear account of the process from growing sugar cane through to drying and cooling, and its overview correctly identifies growing as the longest stage, supported by the stated 12–18 months. It also reports the main transformations accurately: cane is crushed for juice, the juice is purified and heated into syrup, and the centrifuge separates crystals from syrup. The harvesting methods are included as both manual and mechanical. This is a strong, well-focused response, though some details are generalised: “various tools and industrial machines” does not specify the limestone filter or the role of the equipment at each stage, and “a big container” adds a size detail not shown. More precise, neutral descriptions of the stages would strengthen the account further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised into an introduction, an overview and two paragraphs that follow the process in sequence. Transitions such as “After that,” “After the canes are fully grown,” and “Furthermore” help the reader follow the stages, and the final sentence provides a clear endpoint. The progression is logical throughout. Some linking is less precise or slightly mechanical: “etc” in the overview is vague, while “However” introduces the post-harvesting stages even though no contrast is being made. The first paragraph also repeats the importance and duration of growing before moving on. To make cohesion more flexible and unobtrusive, use links that express sequence or result and avoid repeating information already established.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

There is adequate vocabulary for describing the process, including “purifying,” “evaporator,” “syrup,” “centrifuge,” and “sugar crystals.” These terms allow the main stages to be communicated clearly, and the response shows some range beyond basic sequencing language. However, several choices are imprecise or informal for an academic process description: “growing out” is less natural than “growing,” “etc” is vague, and “big container” is an unsupported, non-technical description. “Spinned around” is also an inaccurate word form and collocation for the centrifuge’s action. Greater precision in describing equipment and transformations, while avoiding conversational or evaluative wording such as “lots of patience,” would improve lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex structures, including time clauses (“After the canes are fully grown”) and a relative clause (“which is very time consuming”). Most sentences communicate the process clearly, and the sequence of events is easy to understand. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly in agreement and clause construction: “the first and most important step … is growing … which require” should use a singular verb, and “which is very time consuming and requires” has an unclear reference. The phrase “12-18 months time” also has an awkward grammatical construction, while “the harvests are made” is not a natural passive pattern here. More consistently controlled clauses and accurate agreement would help the response move beyond its current level.

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