Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-10

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 process of production of sugar from sugarcane. It involves growing sugarcane and industrial process for making sugar.

Overall, the sugar is made from sugarcane. This process involve seven steps. There are several stages like harvesting, crushing, filtering, heating, drying and cooling.

At first, the sugarcane tree has been plant. It takes 12 to 18 months for growing. After the sugarcane grown well, farmer harvested it with the help of axe or carry them with the help of tractor. Those plugged sugarcane stems are then crushed in the machine where the juice gets separated.

Afterwards, the juice is filtered with the help of limestone filter. Purified juice is heated in the evaporator until it became a syrup. By centrifugation method, sugar crystals are separated from the syrup in the centrifuge. at last, the crystals are dried and cool. Those crystals became sugar after cooling. Sugar has produced.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the process, from growing to the final product. However, the overview is weak; it merely states that sugar is made from sugarcane, which is already known from the prompt. A better overview would highlight the cyclical nature or the key transformation stages (e.g., from raw plant to refined crystals). While the steps are identified, the description lacks detail in terms of comparisons or specific technical transitions, such as the role of the centrifuge or the specific temperature changes. The response is functional but lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'At first', 'Afterwards', 'at last'). There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to connect the stages more fluidly. Furthermore, the paragraphing is a bit disjointed, with the introduction and overview being very brief. The progression of ideas is logical, but the transitions between sentences could be more varied to improve the flow of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using process-specific terms like 'crushing', 'filtering', 'evaporator', and 'centrifugation'. However, there are some awkward word choices and inaccuracies, such as 'sugarcane tree' (sugarcane is a grass) and 'plugged sugarcane stems'. The phrasing 'Sugar has produced' is also incorrect in this context. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise terminology and avoid repetitive sentence structures. The range is sufficient to convey the meaning but lacks the flexibility and precision expected at higher levels.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly with verb tenses and subject-verb agreement. For example, 'the sugarcane tree has been plant' should be 'is planted', and 'After the sugarcane grown well' should be 'After the sugarcane has grown'. The sentence 'Those crystals became sugar after cooling' is simplistic. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of control over complex structures and the presence of persistent errors in basic grammar limit the score. The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures.

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.