Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-20

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 insulate the manufacturing process for making sugar from sugar cane.

Overall, it is clear that making of sugar from sugarcane is hardworking process. It involve seven steps growing to drying and cooling ( when sugar is ready).

To begin with, growing of sugarcane require at least 12-18 months. When sugarcane is well grown then sugarcane is harvested manually by workers or by a machine. After harvesting sugarcane is crushed in crushing machine for sugarcane juice.

Probing further, sugarcane juice is passed to limestone filter for purification of juice. Similarly juice is heated in an evaporator to convert sugarcane juice to sugar syrup. Furthermore, some crystals are removed from sugar syrup by a centrifuge. At end making of sugar from sugarcane is complete by drying and cooling the sugar.

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 overall score. While the main stages of the process are identified, the description is quite brief and lacks the necessary detail to fully develop the response. The overview is simplistic, and there is a lack of comparative language or synthesis of the process stages. To improve, you should aim to describe the transformation of the product more thoroughly at each stage and ensure you meet the length requirement to allow for a more comprehensive summary of the provided diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into short paragraphs, which helps with readability. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'To begin with', 'Probing further', 'Similarly', 'Furthermore'). The progression of ideas is logical, following the steps of the diagram, but the transitions between sentences feel a bit disjointed. To achieve a higher band, you should focus on using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to create a more natural flow between the stages of the manufacturing process.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. For instance, the word 'sugarcane' is used excessively throughout the text. There are also some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'insulate' instead of 'illustrate' and 'hardworking process' instead of 'labor-intensive' or 'complex process'. To improve, you should incorporate more precise technical vocabulary related to industrial processes and avoid repeating the same nouns by using synonyms or pronouns where appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('growing of sugarcane require', 'it involve') and missing articles ('at end making of sugar'). While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of complex sentence structures limits the range. To improve, you should practice using passive voice constructions, which are essential for describing processes, and ensure that your subject-verb agreement and article usage are consistent throughout the text.

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

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