Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-08
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 5.5)
The diagram illustrates making sugar from sugar cane through manufacturing.
Overall, the procedure consists of 7 stages, beginning with cultivating sugar cane for almost half year than drying and cooling and delivered to markets.
Looking more into the diagram, initially sugar canes being grown for 12 to 18 months when the crops are ready the farmer than cut or harvest it by the latest technology. After all, it is being crushed through another machine by which canes are converted into juice. However, the juice than purified without any impurities.
The process continues, the juice than passes by an evaporator with extreme fire beneath it and the juice becomes thick syrup. Continuously, a rolling centrifuge starts and separates sugar crystals from syrup which remained uncrushed in the previous stages. At the end, the procedure reaches its last level where it dried and cooled, ready for the market for customers for various usages.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main stages of the sugar production process, from cultivation to the final product. However, the overview is slightly inaccurate, as it mentions 'almost half year' for cultivation, whereas the diagram specifies 12 to 18 months. Additionally, the description of the process is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical summary of the key features. While all stages are mentioned, the connection between the stages could be more clearly articulated to show a better understanding of the flow. To improve, ensure that data points are accurately transcribed from the prompt and that the overview highlights the most significant aspects of the process rather than just listing the number of steps.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events. However, the use of cohesive devices is often repetitive or slightly unnatural, such as the frequent use of 'the juice than' and 'continuously'. The logical progression is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'After all, it is being crushed', which does not function well as a transition. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and phrases (e.g., 'subsequently', 'following this', 'as a result') to create a smoother flow between sentences and paragraphs.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. There are several instances of word-choice errors, such as 'extreme fire' instead of 'high heat' or 'intense heat', and 'various usages' which is vague. The repetition of basic verbs like 'passes' and 'converted' limits the range. To improve, try to incorporate more specific technical vocabulary related to industrial processes, such as 'extraction', 'purification', 'crystallisation', and 'centrifugation', which would demonstrate a more sophisticated control of the topic-specific lexicon.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'sugar canes being grown'), incorrect verb tenses (e.g., 'the farmer than cut'), and misuse of prepositions and conjunctions. The frequent confusion between 'then' and 'than' is a recurring error that affects the professional tone of the writing. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic tense consistency and ensuring that sentence structures are grammatically sound, particularly when describing passive processes.
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.