Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The diagram illustrates the step-by-step process of manufacturing sugar from sugarcane.

It is clear that manufacturing sugar from sugarcane involves seven different steps and a variety of specialized machinery and equipment is used from planting sugarcane to the drying and cooling of the final product sugar.

At the beginning of the process, sugarcane is cultivated which may take 12-18 months to mature. After the maturation period, sugarcane is harvested and loaded in a truck for transporting to a sugarmill. After that, juice is extracted from sugarcane by pressing it using a crusher machine.

In the next step, the extracted juice is purified by filtering it through a limestone filter. Then, the purified juice is heated in an evaporator until it turns into the syrup. In the centrifuge machine sugar crystals are separated from the syrup. Finally, these sugar crystals are dried and cooled in preparation for packaging and distribution.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main stages of the process, from cultivation to packaging. However, because the response is 149 words, it falls just short of the 150-word minimum requirement. This impacts the task achievement score as the overview is slightly underdeveloped. While the key features are identified, the summary could be improved by providing a more cohesive overview of the transformation process rather than just listing steps. The inclusion of the 12-18 month maturation period is a good detail, but the overall response lacks the depth required to fully satisfy the task requirements due to the length constraint.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear progression from the beginning of the process to the final product. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction from the body stages. Cohesive devices such as 'At the beginning', 'After that', 'In the next step', and 'Finally' are used to guide the reader through the sequence. While the flow is generally smooth, the transition between the cultivation stage and the industrial processing stage could be more sophisticated. Overall, the information is presented in a coherent manner that is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, with relevant technical terms such as 'cultivated', 'maturation', 'extracted', 'purified', and 'centrifuge'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on basic verbs. For instance, 'loaded in a truck' could be more precisely phrased as 'transported via truck'. There are no significant spelling errors, and the terminology used is accurate for the context of a manufacturing process. To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more varied and precise vocabulary to describe the mechanical actions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some minor grammatical issues, such as 'the final product sugar' which is slightly redundant, and 'loaded in a truck for transporting' which would be more natural as 'loaded onto trucks for transport'. Punctuation is generally accurate, and the errors present do not impede communication. The control of grammar is sufficient for the task, though the range of complex structures is somewhat limited. Increasing the use of passive voice, which is highly appropriate for process descriptions, would improve the score.

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

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