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 process of manufacturing sugar from sugar cane.

Overall, the whole process consists of seven major steps, starting from growing sugar cane to making end products of sugar.

First and foremost, sugar canes are growing for almost 12 to 18 months, where sugar cane become completely mature. When those sugar canes grow by certain height, it cuts down by a harvester machine or sometimes manually by farmers. The next step involves a machine that crushes sugar cane heavily in order to make juice.

Continuing to the further process, after getting the sugar cane juice, the filtering phase starts to purify the juice using a limestone Y-shaped filter. In the following step, the filtered juice enters the evaporator, where it gets heated, and the juice becomes syrup. Later, this syrup continuously rotates by a centrifuge pump until it separates into sugar crystals. In the end, the crystal is completely dried and cooled in a barrel, hence, sugar is produced.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all stages of the process, from the growth of the sugar cane to the final production of sugar. The overview is clear and identifies the seven-step nature of the process. However, the description of the stages is somewhat descriptive rather than analytical. To reach a higher band, you should focus more on the 'main features' and ensure that the transition between stages is described with more precision regarding the mechanical nature of the process. For example, the mention of 'certain height' is vague; referencing the 12-18 month growth period as a key feature was a good choice, but more emphasis on the transformation of the raw material would improve the response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and a sequential description of the process. The use of cohesive devices such as 'First and foremost', 'The next step', 'Continuing to the further process', and 'In the end' helps guide the reader through the stages. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed process. The progression of ideas is clear, and the information flows logically from one step to the next, which is essential for a process description task.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using process-specific terms like 'harvester', 'evaporator', 'centrifuge', and 'syrup'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'sugar canes are growing' (should be 'are grown') and 'crushes sugar cane heavily'. The range is sufficient to convey the meaning, but it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations related to industrial processes, such as 'extracting juice' instead of 'make juice' and 'refined' instead of 'purified'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'sugar cane become' (subject-verb agreement), 'it cuts down' (passive voice error: 'it is cut down'), and 'sugar canes are growing' (tense error: 'are grown'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, ensure consistent use of the passive voice, which is standard for describing industrial processes, and pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and article usage.

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

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