Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 diagram illustrates the making process of sugar from sugar cane.As the process started from growing sugar cane it takes 12 to 18 months.After this the harvesting begins.However after this crushing starts and it converts sugar canes into juice.For purifying purpose limestone filter uses once this process of purifying complete move on next in evaporator method and now juice becomes syrup it also include heating .So now seperations of sugar crystals from syrup start it called centrifuge.At this point drying and cooling of sugar initiate .

As diagram shows growing sugar cane takes most time or secondly harvesting also very difficuilt .Crusing does not take specific time as for growing sugar cane was require.As it shows in diagram that harvesting had two methods by human beign or with the help of machine.In evaporation process juice coonverts by heat into syrup and after cooling and drying it becomes sugar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You cover the main sequence from growing cane through harvesting, crushing, purification, evaporation, centrifuging, and drying and cooling. You also include the 12–18-month growing period and the two harvesting methods, which are relevant details. However, the overview is not clearly separated from the stage-by-stage account, and some statements are inaccurate or unsupported: the diagram does not show that harvesting is difficult or that growing takes the most time compared with other stages. The final sentence also suggests sugar is produced after cooling and drying, without clearly reporting that the centrifuge separates crystals from syrup. The response is 148 words, below the required 150. Add a concise overview and describe the separation accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The stages are generally presented in the correct order, and sequencing expressions such as “After this” and “At this point” help the reader follow the process. However, the response is written as two long paragraphs with little clear distinction between an overview and detailed stages. Several transitions are repetitive or awkward, including repeated uses of “after this” and “So now,” while the shift to “As diagram shows” introduces a second account of earlier information rather than developing the description. Some links between clauses are unclear, particularly in “For purifying purpose limestone filter uses once this process of purifying complete.” Organise the response into a brief overview followed by a logically grouped description, and use precise links between stages.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “limestone filter,” “evaporator,” “syrup,” and “centrifuge,” so the reader can identify several key stages. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations make the description difficult to follow, such as “making process,” “filter uses,” and “separations of sugar crystals … start.” There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “seperations,” “difficuilt,” “Crusing,” and “coonverts.” Use standard process verbs and collocations—for example, “the cane is crushed,” “the juice is filtered,” and “crystals are separated from the syrup”—and check spelling carefully. This would make the technical description more precise and natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to connect stages in longer sentences, and the basic sequence is usually understandable. However, the range of sentence structures is limited, and attempts at complex sentences are often faulty. For example, “As the process started from growing sugar cane it takes 12 to 18 months” shifts tense and has an unclear clause structure; “once this process of purifying complete move on next” lacks a clear subject and verb; and “it also include heating” has an agreement error. Missing spaces after full stops and inconsistent punctuation also affect readability. Practise forming complete passive sentences suited to a process, such as “The juice is purified through a limestone filter before it is heated in an evaporator.” Check tense, agreement, and sentence boundaries.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.