Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The diagram illustrates the step by step production process of sugar from sugar cane.

Overall, the sugar manufacturing process undergoes seven stages which starts from growing and harvesting the canes to drying and cooling the sugar crystals.

The process commences with cultivating sugars canes which takes around a year or a half to grow. Once matured, the canes enter the harvest phase and are harvested either manually by workers or mechanically, using harvesters to cut and load the canes. These harvested canes are sent for crushing. Here, the cane juice is crushed out using machines. Subsequently, these obtained juice proceeds to the purification phase, passing through a limestone filter. The juice is purified to remove any impurities.

In the following stages, the purified juice is turned into syrup by heating it in an evaporator. Later, a centrifuge is used to separate sugar crystals from syrup. Finally, the crystals are dried and cooled in a container which is the final sugar ready to be consumed by people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response effectively covers all stages of the sugar manufacturing process. You have identified the main features, starting from cultivation and harvesting through to the final cooling stage. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the seven-stage process. To reach a higher band, ensure that you explicitly mention the 'main features' or 'key trends' in the overview, such as the transition from raw agricultural material to a refined industrial product. The information is well-selected and logically presented, fulfilling the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear progression from the beginning to the end of the process. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the introduction, the initial agricultural stages, and the final industrial processing stages. You use cohesive devices such as 'Once matured', 'Subsequently', 'In the following stages', and 'Finally' to guide the reader through the sequence. The flow is smooth and easy to follow. To improve further, ensure that the transition between the agricultural and industrial phases is even more tightly linked to enhance the overall cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the process, including terms like 'cultivating', 'matured', 'purification', 'evaporator', and 'centrifuge'. These are appropriate for the context of a technical process description. There are minor issues with word choice, such as 'sugar canes' (usually just 'sugar cane' as an uncountable noun) and 'juice proceeds' (should be 'juice proceeds' or 'the juice is processed'). However, these errors do not impede communication. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more precise collocations related to industrial manufacturing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear and grammatically sound. There are a few minor errors, such as 'which starts' (should be 'which start' to agree with 'seven stages') and 'a year or a half' (which is slightly unnatural; 'a year and a half' is standard). Despite these occasional slips, your control of grammar is generally good, and the meaning is never obscured. To improve, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and using more varied complex structures to describe the mechanical actions.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.