Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-14

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 illustration depicts how the sugar produced from the sugar cane.

Overall, the seven stage linear processed begins with growing the sugar cane for one and half year to dried bas cooled the sugar. This is achieved by turning sugar cane to liquid that can be turned into a sugar for commercial good.

Firstly, the sugar cane were growing for at least 12-18 month's and it can be harvest either by machine or person. Furthermore it goes to the machine which crushed the sugar cane and turned it into the liquid Which was collected in the bottom of the machine one circular basket.

At the stage four, the extract juice goes through the limestone filter to purified the juice and it should be heated in the bottom to evaporated the juice to became Syrup. Moreover the sugar crystals were separated from the Syrup which is known as centrifuge. In the last stage the sugar should be dried and cooled then it was ready for sold

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the process, from growing the sugar cane to the final product. However, the overview is somewhat confusing, as it describes the process as 'seven stage' but then lists stages inconsistently. While the main features are identified, the description of the process is occasionally inaccurate, such as stating the juice is 'heated in the bottom' to evaporate it, which misrepresents the diagram. To improve, ensure that the overview clearly synthesizes the key stages without including unnecessary detail, and verify that the technical descriptions accurately reflect the provided visual information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of the process. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or misused, such as 'Furthermore' and 'Moreover', which do not always logically connect the sentences. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, making the flow of information feel disjointed. To achieve a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words more naturally and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus that contributes to the overall logical development of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several instances of word-choice errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'commercial good' instead of 'commercial product' and 'dried bas cooled' (likely a typo for 'dried and cooled'). The range of vocabulary is limited, relying on basic terms like 'machine' and 'liquid' rather than more precise technical terminology like 'crusher', 'purification', or 'evaporation'. To improve, try to incorporate more specific vocabulary related to industrial processes and pay closer attention to word forms and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'sugar cane were growing'), incorrect verb tenses (e.g., 'it was ready for sold'), and punctuation errors, such as the unnecessary apostrophe in 'month's'. While there is an attempt to use complex sentence structures, these are often faulty, leading to confusion. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, particularly tense consistency and the correct use of passive voice, which is essential for describing processes.

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

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