Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-21

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 assigned process chart illustrates the manufacturing of sugar cane for making sugar.

Overall, it is covered in seven steps how sugar is produced from sugar cane beginning with growing sugar cane between 12-18 months and at last, sugar produced by after drying and cooling process.

In the starting, sugar canes were growing for 12-18 months after that grown sugar canes were harvested by the help of machines as well as farmers. Then, all the sugars canes were crushed and juice extraction by crushing. After that this juice was purified by using limestone filter and pure juice was release.

In next stage, purified juice kept in a container and heat up the container then evaporation process was started and purified juice became in form of syrup. Again, it carried in centrifuge ,which help to separated the sugar from syrup after that sugar was produced by dry and cooled.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main stages of the sugar production process, from cultivation to the final product. However, it fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the score. While the overview is present, the description of the process is somewhat mechanical and lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band. The summary of the process is accurate, but the failure to reach the minimum length means the task is not fully addressed in terms of development.

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 repetitive and basic (e.g., 'In the starting', 'Then', 'After that', 'In next stage'). The progression of ideas is logical, but the transitions between sentences feel mechanical rather than fluid. The paragraphing is present but could be more effectively used to separate the distinct stages of the process more clearly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several awkward phrasings, such as 'manufacturing of sugar cane for making sugar' and 'juice was release'. The student relies on simple, repetitive verbs like 'growing', 'crushing', and 'produced'. To achieve a higher band, the student needs to use more precise terminology related to industrial processes (e.g., 'harvested', 'extracted', 'evaporated', 'crystallised') and improve collocation accuracy.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'sugar canes were growing' (incorrect tense), 'juice extraction by crushing' (missing verb), and 'purified juice became in form of syrup' (incorrect preposition/article usage). Punctuation is also inconsistent. The student needs to focus on subject-verb agreement 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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