Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The diagram illustrates the way sugar is produced and processed from sugar cane.

Overall, the production of sugar includes six major processes: growing, harvesting, crushing, juice purification, evaporation, centrifugation, and drying and cooling.

Firstly, sugar cane takes up to 18 months to grow, after which harvesting is done. Harvesting sugarcane is practised in two ways: one is using tractors, and the other is by hand cutting. After collecting the sugarcane, they are crushed to obtain the juice from them, which is done by using crusher tool.

In the fourth stage, the impure sugarcane juice is passed through the limestone filter to get clean juice without any dust particles. The evaporation process mainly deals with converting the juice into syrup using a combustion process, where the juice is overheated to form syrup. Later, from the sugar syrup, the sugar is separated using the centrifugation method. Finally, the sugar particles, which are overheated, get dried and cooled, thereby producing the required sugar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all stages of the process, from growing to the final product. You have successfully identified the main features, such as the two methods of harvesting and the key stages like crushing, purification, and evaporation. However, the overview is slightly inaccurate; the diagram shows seven stages, but you listed them as six, and 'growing' is technically a precursor rather than a manufacturing step. To reach a higher band, ensure your overview captures the essence of the process more precisely and avoid minor inaccuracies in counting the steps shown in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, moving chronologically through the stages of production. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the introduction and overview from the detailed process description. You use some cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'In the fourth stage', and 'Finally' to guide the reader. However, the transition between the harvesting and crushing stages is a bit abrupt. To improve, try to use more varied linking phrases to connect the steps more fluidly, rather than relying on simple sequential markers.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'purification', 'evaporation', and 'centrifugation' correctly. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'crusher tool' (which is redundant) and 'overheated' (which might be technically imprecise for evaporation). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. Focus on using more precise collocations related to industrial processes to enhance your lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'harvesting is done' (passive voice is fine, but the phrasing is slightly repetitive) and 'the impure sugarcane juice is passed through the limestone filter to get clean juice without any dust particles' (which is a bit wordy). Punctuation is generally accurate, and errors do not impede communication. To improve, aim for more varied sentence structures and ensure subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout.

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

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