Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-26

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 5.0)

The diagram illustrates the process of producing sugar from sugar cane.

Overall, the sugar production process consist of seven distinct stages, beginning with the growing and harvesting of sugar cane and ending with culminating in the drying and cooling of refined sugar crystals.

Growing the sugar cane takes approximately 12 to 18 months to reach its maturity, then the mature sugar cane are collected either by hand using tools or using specialized heavy machinery, after it undergo to a machine where sugar cane crushing and made into liquid till Purifying the juice into Limestone filter.

After, Purified juice heated into a cylinder shaped which evaporated and becomes sugar syrup. Then sugar syrup is transfer into Centrifuge where the sugar crystals separates from syrup, After separating from syrup in to sugar crystal. it inserted in to a container where the sugar dry and cools then if becomes sugar where it is ready to distribute

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the sugar production process, from growing to the final cooling stage. However, the description of the process is somewhat fragmented. While the overview is clear, the body paragraphs struggle to maintain a logical flow, and some steps are described with limited clarity, such as the transition from crushing to purification. The response identifies the key features but lacks the precision required for a higher band, as some technical details are slightly muddled or missing, such as the specific role of the centrifuge in separating crystals from syrup.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is divided into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, the phrase 'After, Purified juice heated' is grammatically awkward and lacks a proper transition. The progression of ideas is occasionally difficult to follow due to run-on sentences and a lack of clear signposting between the stages of the process. The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to track the transformation of the sugar cane through the various pieces of equipment.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. There are several instances of word-choice errors, such as 'made into liquid till Purifying' and 'if becomes sugar'. The student relies on basic terminology and struggles with collocations related to industrial processes. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of sophisticated vocabulary and the presence of errors in word form (e.g., 'separates' vs 'separated') limit the score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('mature sugar cane are collected'), tense consistency, and sentence structure. Many sentences are poorly constructed, such as 'after it undergo to a machine where sugar cane crushing and made into liquid'. The use of complex structures is attempted but often results in errors, such as the misuse of prepositions and missing articles. A greater focus on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement is necessary.

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

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