Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-23

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 depicts the manufactuing process for making sugar from sugar cane.

Overall, it is clear that, it consists of 7 stages. Starting from the growing stage of sugar canes to end up with the drying and cooling stage. Along with the step of crushing the sugar canes and produce juice from it.

Sugar canes contain 12 -18 months to grow, after that farmer harvests the sugar canes by hydroelectric machines or by hand . Then it comes to crushing process, where sugar canes are crushing and produce juice. After that we use limestone filter to purify juice.

In the next step, we putted juice in the evaporator, while giving a heat from the below, it converts into the form of syrup . In sixth step, we passed our syrup from centrifuge where sugar crystal seperated from the syrup. At the last, its convert centrifuge into drying and cooling phase.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the sugar production process, from harvesting to the final cooling phase. However, the overview is somewhat simplistic, and the description of the process lacks detail in certain areas, such as the specific temperatures or the nature of the machinery involved. While the key stages are identified, the report would benefit from a more analytical approach to the sequence of events. The summary of the process is accurate, but it lacks the depth required for a higher band score, as it reads more like a list of steps rather than a cohesive report on a manufacturing process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of the process. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'After that', 'In the next step', 'In sixth step'). The transition between sentences is sometimes abrupt, and the logical flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect the stages more fluidly. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs is a bit disjointed, making the overall progression feel slightly fragmented rather than smooth.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. There are several instances of awkward phrasing or incorrect word choices, such as 'manufactuing process' (spelling error), 'produce juice from it', and 'giving a heat from the below'. The range of vocabulary is limited to basic terms related to the process. To improve, you should focus on using more precise technical terminology and ensuring that collocations are accurate, such as 'extracting juice' instead of 'produce juice'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'Sugar canes contain 12 -18 months to grow' (incorrect verb choice), 'where sugar canes are crushing' (incorrect passive voice), and 'we putted juice' (incorrect past tense). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often contain errors in tense or word order. Improving control over basic verb tenses and passive voice constructions, which are essential for describing processes, is a priority for your development.

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