Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-22

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 6.0)

The diagram illustrates the process of producing sugar from sugar cane.

Overall, it is a linear process consisting of seven main stages, beginning with the cultivation of sugar cane and ending with the drying and cooling of sugar crystals.

First, sugar cane is grown for approximately 12 to 18 months until it reaches final stage. It is then harvested either manually by workers or mechanically using a harvesting machine. In the third stage, the harvested cane is crushed to extract the juice.

Next, the extracted juice is purified by passing it through a limestone filter. The purified liquid is then heated in an evaporator, where it is boiled. The machine separates the sugar crystals from the remaining liquid.

Finally, the sugar crystals are dried and cooled, producing the finished sugar. Thus, the entire process involves a combination of agricultural activities, the cane being transformed from a raw plant to refined sugar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all stages of the process, from cultivation to the final product. You have successfully identified the main features and provided a clear overview. However, the description is somewhat brief. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide more detail regarding the specific equipment or conditions mentioned in the diagram, such as the centrifuge or the specific temperature/pressure conditions if provided. While the summary is accurate, it lacks the depth required for a higher score, as it reads more like a list of steps rather than a comprehensive report of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized, following the chronological order of the manufacturing process. You have used basic cohesive devices such as 'First', 'Next', and 'Finally' to guide the reader through the stages. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction and overview from the body of the process. To improve, you could incorporate a wider range of cohesive devices and ensure that the transition between sentences feels less mechanical. Currently, the flow is functional but lacks the sophisticated linking that characterizes higher-band responses.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have used a range of vocabulary appropriate for describing a process, such as 'cultivation', 'harvested', 'extracted', 'purified', and 'evaporator'. This is sufficient for the task. However, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive and lacks the precision or 'less common' items that would demonstrate a wider range. For example, instead of 'producing the finished sugar', you could use more technical terminology related to the refining industry. The word choice is generally accurate and does not impede communication, but it remains within a fairly standard range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You have used passive voice effectively, which is essential for process descriptions (e.g., 'sugar cane is grown', 'is then harvested'). There are very few grammatical errors, and the punctuation is generally correct. To achieve a higher band, you should aim to incorporate a greater variety of complex structures, such as relative clauses or more sophisticated participial phrases, to show better control over sentence variety. The current sentences are clear and error-free, but they are somewhat uniform in their construction.

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

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