Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-09

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 5.5)

The given diagram illustrates the production process for making sugar from sugar cane.

Overall, the diagram is seven stage process which begins with the cultivation and harvesting of sugar cane .The last stage of the whole diagram is drying and cooling of sugar . The main feature of this diagram is crushing of juice from the machine.

Moreover, the manufacturing of sugar canes contains 12-18 months.The second step is the harvesting of sugar cane. The next step is the crushing of sugar canes from machine to make juice. The limestone filter plays very vital role in purifying the juice.

In addition, evaporation process is the fifth step of making sugar cane in which juice becomes syrup. The second last step is centrifuge which separates sugar crystals from syrup. The last stage of this process is drying and cooling of sugar in which the sugar crystals are dried and cooled before being packaged.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process as having seven stages and give a relevant overview from cultivation to drying and cooling. Several key steps are also reported accurately, including the 12–18-month growing period, limestone filtration, evaporation into syrup, and centrifuging to separate crystals. However, the overview is weakened by the unclear claim that “crushing of juice” is the main feature, and some stages are described imprecisely: crushing extracts juice from the cane rather than crushing juice, while the harvesting methods shown are not mentioned. The final packaging detail is not shown in the diagram. To make the account more complete and precise, describe the two harvesting methods and report the sequence and purpose of each stage without adding unsupported information.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing the process in sequence. Sequencing phrases such as “The next step,” “In addition,” and “The second last step” help the reader follow the stages. However, progression is sometimes mechanical, and the overview repeats information that is then given again in the body. The connection between ideas is also occasionally unclear, particularly in “The main feature of this diagram is crushing of juice from the machine.” Paragraphing could better separate the overall summary from the detailed stages. Use a concise overview, then group the stages in order and link them with clear references such as “After filtration” and “Once the syrup is formed.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “cultivation,” “limestone filter,” “evaporation,” “centrifuge,” and “sugar crystals,” which allows the reader to understand the general subject. However, some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural: “crushing of juice” and “manufacturing of sugar canes” do not express the intended process clearly, and “plays very vital role” is awkward. Repetition of “step,” “stage,” and “sugar cane” also limits the range. Aim for precise process verbs and natural combinations, such as “extracts juice from the cane,” “the cane is harvested,” and “the filter purifies the juice.” This would make the description clearer and more appropriately formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You communicate the main sequence using mostly simple sentences and make some attempts at more developed structures, for example, “in which juice becomes syrup.” However, grammatical control is uneven. The overview has a missing article and punctuation problem in “is seven stage process,” and the sentence beginning “Moreover, the manufacturing…” lacks a clear grammatical construction. Other issues include missing articles in “plays very vital role” and inconsistent spacing before punctuation. These errors do not prevent the reader from following the general process, but they reduce accuracy. Practise articles and singular/plural forms, and build longer sentences around clear subjects and verbs—for example, “The cane is crushed to extract juice, which is then purified.”

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