Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-24

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 picture demonstrates the process of producing sugar from sugarcane in a sugar manufacturing industry.

Overall, it is man-made process. It consists of several stages, begins with growing sugarcane plants and ends drying and cooling the sugar produced.

Initially, sugarcanes are cultivated which take 1 to 1.5 year to ripe. After that, the ripened crops are harvested which can be done by two different mades by hands or by harvesters also. Then, juice is collected by crushing the sugarcane in the crushing machine. Following this step, the juice is purified by removing dust and impurities from it by limestone filter.

After this stage, the purified juice is heated in a evaporator to make a syrup out of it by the process of evaporation. Subsequently, the syrup goes through the process of centrifugation to separate the crystals of sugar from it. Lastly, the sugar is manufactured which is kept in a container for drying and cooling.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all stages of the process, from cultivation to the final product. The overview is clear, identifying that it is a man-made process with distinct stages. However, the report lacks a clear comparison or synthesis of the information. For instance, the mention of two harvesting methods (by hand or machine) is a good detail, but the response could have been improved by highlighting the transformation of the raw material into the final product more effectively. The description of the stages is accurate, but the overall development is somewhat basic and lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'After that', 'Following this step', and 'Subsequently' helps to guide the reader through the process. However, some of the transitions feel a bit mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different stages of the process. The progression of ideas is clear, but the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect the steps more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'cultivated', 'harvested', 'purified', 'evaporation', and 'centrifugation' used correctly. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'mades' instead of 'methods' and 'ripe' instead of 'ripen'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, and the response relies on simple phrasing. To achieve a higher band, you should aim to incorporate more precise terminology and avoid repetitive sentence structures. The spelling is generally accurate, but the word choice errors slightly detract from the overall quality.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'it is man-made process' (missing article), '1 to 1.5 year to ripe' (should be 'years to ripen'), and 'in a evaporator' (should be 'in an evaporator'). These errors do not impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. The control of punctuation is generally good, but the grammatical inaccuracies indicate a need for more attention to detail in sentence construction and article usage.

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

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