Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-11
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 depicts the method how sugar is extracted from sugar cane.
overall,there are seven steps in this process ,beginning with the growing of sugarcane and ending with the drying and cooling of sugar.
Firstly sugar cane is grown for 12-18 months aproximately.It is then harvested in two ways one is mechanically and other is manually or by hands.After this sugar cane is crushed in special machine where juice is extracted.
Moving towards fourth step,then the purification of juice is done through Limestone filter.In next step, heat is produced under container where evaporation takes place and juice changes into syrup.Moving further,Centrifugation is done where sugar cysrtals are separted from syrup. In end sugar is extracted from sugar crystals by the process of drying and cooling.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While the student identifies the main stages of the process, the description is quite brief and lacks the necessary detail to fully develop the report. Key features, such as the specific temperatures or the distinction between the two harvesting methods, are mentioned but not elaborated upon. To improve, the student should provide a more comprehensive overview of the process, ensuring all steps are described with sufficient detail to reach the required length and provide a thorough summary of the information presented in the diagram.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is logically organized, following the chronological order of the process. The use of transition signals such as 'Firstly', 'Moving towards', and 'In end' helps guide the reader through the stages. However, the paragraphing is insufficient; the text is essentially one block, which hinders the overall structure. The use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. To achieve a higher band, the student should use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that the essay is divided into clear, distinct paragraphs—typically an introduction, a body paragraph for the process stages, and a brief overview or summary.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the process clearly. Words like 'extracted', 'purification', 'evaporation', and 'centrifugation' are appropriate for this technical topic. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'aproximately', 'cysrtals', and 'separted', which detract from the quality of the writing. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic verbs and structures. To improve, the student should focus on accurate spelling and attempt to incorporate more precise academic collocations to describe industrial processes, such as 'subjected to' or 'undergo'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, including missing articles ('in special machine', 'in end'), incorrect preposition usage, and punctuation issues (e.g., missing spaces after commas and periods). The sentence 'one is mechanically and other is manually or by hands' is awkward and grammatically incorrect. To improve, the student needs to pay closer attention to basic sentence construction, article usage, and punctuation. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while ensuring they are error-free will help in achieving a higher band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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