Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-09

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 7.0)

The diagram illustrates the industrial process of producing sugar from sugar cane.

Overall, the process consists of seven stages, beginning with the cultivation of sugar cane and ending with the production of sugar, which is then dried and cooled in a storage tank.

The first stage involves growing sugar cane, which takes approximately 12–18 months to fully mature. Once the sugar cane is ready for harvesting, it is collected either by specialised machinery or manually. In the following stage, the harvested sugar cane is crushed in a machine to extract the juice.

The extracted juice is then purified using a limestone filter. Once purified, it is heated in an evaporator, which removes water and turns the juice into syrup. Next, the syrup is placed in a centrifuge, where sugar crystals are separated from the remaining liquid. Finally, the sugar crystals are transferred to a tank, where they are dried and cooled before the finished sugar is ready for use.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully identifies the main stages of the sugar production process. You have clearly outlined the sequence from cultivation to the final product. The overview is concise and accurately captures the essence of the process. To reach a higher band, you could improve the 'reporting' aspect by highlighting more specific comparisons or technical details provided in the diagram, such as the specific temperature or the role of the centrifuge in separating crystals from molasses. However, you have addressed all parts of the task effectively and provided a clear, logical summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is well-organized with a clear progression of ideas. You have used paragraphing effectively to separate the introduction, the overview, and the detailed process steps. Cohesive devices such as 'The first stage', 'In the following stage', 'Once purified', and 'Finally' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the chronological steps of the process. The flow is natural and logical throughout the text, making it easy to follow the manufacturing stages without any confusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have used a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a process description, such as 'cultivation', 'mature', 'harvesting', 'purified', and 'centrifuge'. The terminology is accurate and fits the context of the diagram well. There are no significant spelling errors, and the word choice is precise. To achieve a higher score, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms to describe the transformation of the substance, such as 'extracting the raw juice' or 'crystallisation process'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The grammar is highly accurate, with a variety of sentence structures used correctly. You have successfully employed passive voice constructions, which are essential for process descriptions (e.g., 'is collected', 'is purified', 'are separated'). The use of complex sentences, such as 'Once the sugar cane is ready for harvesting, it is collected...', demonstrates good control over grammatical structures. There are no noticeable errors in punctuation or syntax, and the writing is consistently clear and professional.

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

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