Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-25

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 process of how the sugar is manufactured from sugarcanes.

Overall, it consists of plucking sugarcanes from fields when they are grown, sending them to factories by loading them into trucks which are further processed by crushing them by means of heavy machinery, the juice of sugar of sugarcanes are further heated making it a thick syrup which is eventually dried out and sugar crystals are further separated from that syrup.

Firstly, when sugarcanes are grown enough, they are harvested by farmers to send it to the factories by means of trucks.

Secondly ,sugarcanes are crushed by heavy machines to take out the juice which is further purified using limestone filter. This step is taken to ensure the purification of sugarcanes juice.

Thirdly, juice is heated at suitable temperature using evaporator to make it a thick syrup for further processing.

Lastly, sugar crystals are separated from sugar syrup which is eventually dried out and kept to cool down.

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 separation of crystals. However, the overview is slightly repetitive and lacks a clear summary of the key stages. While the main steps are identified, the description of the process is somewhat mechanical and lacks the analytical comparison required for a higher band. For example, the transition from the crushing stage to the purification stage is described, but the relationship between the stages could be more clearly linked to the overall flow of the diagram. The response addresses the prompt adequately but lacks the depth of reporting required for a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized logically, following the chronological order of the process. The use of sequencing words like 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'Thirdly', and 'Lastly' provides a clear structure. However, the paragraphing is weak; the response consists of a long, somewhat run-on overview followed by a series of short, repetitive sentences. The cohesion is functional but mechanical. To improve, you should group related steps into distinct paragraphs and use a wider variety of cohesive devices to link sentences more fluidly rather than relying solely on list-like transitions.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'harvested', 'purified', 'evaporator', and 'sugar crystals' used correctly. However, there are instances of awkward phrasing and repetition, such as 'sugar of sugarcanes' and 'sugarcanes juice'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, and there is a lack of more sophisticated collocations or precise terminology that would demonstrate a higher level of lexical control. Improving word choice and avoiding redundant phrasing would significantly enhance the quality of the writing.

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 'how the sugar is manufactured from sugarcanes' (the article 'the' is unnecessary) and 'sugarcanes juice' (should be 'sugarcane juice'). Additionally, some sentences are poorly constructed, such as the long second sentence in the overview, which lacks proper punctuation and clarity. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these minor errors and the lack of consistent control over complex structures prevent a higher score.

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.