Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-13

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)

Sugar is now very essential part of our life. Without sugar kitchen and drinks are nothing. the given image let us the complete process from begning. It begins with production of sugar cane on farm for around 12 to 18 months by farmer and harvested either by new machines or by hand and sent to the factory that converts sugarcane to sugar by extracting juice by the process called "Crushing". Then the juice sent to a evaparator by purifying juice form limestone. In this step the filtered juice get converted in the syrup by heating it on a specific temperature. The next step called "centrifuge", in this step sugar crystals get seperated from the syrup and sugar start taking its final look and after the drying and cooling sugar are ready to use or sell.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While the student identifies the main stages of the process, the overview is missing, and the description is somewhat superficial. The introduction is informal and does not clearly paraphrase the task prompt. To improve, the student should include a clear overview of the process (e.g., noting that it is a multi-stage industrial process) and ensure all steps are described with sufficient detail to meet the length requirement. The current response is under-developed and lacks the necessary academic tone required for Task 1.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is written as a single paragraph, which hinders logical progression. While there is a basic chronological sequence using transition words like 'Then' and 'The next step', the lack of paragraphing makes the text feel cluttered. Cohesive devices are used in a somewhat mechanical fashion. To reach a higher band, the student should group related stages into distinct paragraphs—for instance, separating the initial harvesting/crushing phase from the purification and final processing stages. Improving the use of referencing and varied linking phrases would also enhance the flow of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range expected for an academic report. There are several spelling errors, such as 'begning' and 'evaparator', and some awkward phrasing like 'sugar kitchen and drinks are nothing'. The student relies on basic vocabulary and struggles with accurate collocations. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise technical terminology related to manufacturing processes and ensure correct spelling of key terms. Expanding the range of vocabulary to include more sophisticated verbs and nouns would help convey information more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include missing articles ('the given image let us the complete process'), subject-verb agreement errors ('sugar are ready'), and punctuation mistakes. The sentence structure is often repetitive and lacks the variety needed for higher bands. To improve, the student should focus on mastering basic sentence construction, particularly the use of articles and pluralization. Reducing the frequency of errors will allow for better clarity and a more professional, academic tone throughout the writing.

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

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