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 diagram illustrates the sugar manufacturing process from sugar canes.

Overall, there are seven stages to the production process, starting with growing and harvesting sugar canes to separating sugar crystals from syrup and drying & cooling them.

At first, the sugar canes are grown and after around 12 to 18 month, they are harvested using both manual and technical methods. These are then crushed into machines to get the fresh juice out of it. later, the juice is purified using a limestone filter.

In the following stages, the purified juice is heated in an evaporator where it turns into a kind of a syrup which is one of the main ingredients. Furthermore, a process similar to fermentation takes place which is centrifuge. Here basically it separates the sugar crystals from syrup. Finally. these crystals are dried and cooled which turns into the sugar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main stages of the process, but it fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words. This under-length significantly impacts the ability to fully develop the description of the process. While the overview is present, the explanation of the final stages is somewhat rushed. To improve, you should provide more detail on the specific equipment used (e.g., the centrifuge) and ensure the summary is comprehensive enough to meet the length requirement. The failure to reach the minimum word count is a negative factor in the assessment of task achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. You use some cohesive devices such as 'At first', 'In the following stages', and 'Finally' to sequence the information. However, the transition between the purification stage and the heating stage could be smoother. Additionally, the use of 'Furthermore' to introduce the centrifuge is slightly awkward in this context. To reach a higher band, ensure that your linking words are used more naturally and that the progression between sentences is seamless throughout the entire report.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'manufacturing process', 'purified', and 'centrifuge' used correctly. However, there are some instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'crushed into machines' (should be 'crushed by machines') and 'turns into a kind of a syrup'. The phrasing 'technical methods' is also vague when describing the harvesting process. To improve, focus on using more precise technical terminology related to industrial processes and avoid informal fillers like 'basically' or 'a kind of'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'after around 12 to 18 month' (should be 'months') and 'crushed into machines to get the fresh juice out of it' (the pronoun 'it' lacks a clear antecedent). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly the sentence fragment 'Finally. these crystals are dried...'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring subject-verb agreement and correct punctuation will help improve your score.

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

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