Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-27

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 process chart illustrates the information about how sugar is produced from sugar cane. There are seven stages of processing sugar from sugarcane.

The initial stage is, growing the crop sugarcane in fields, which takes 12 to 18 months, the stage is harvesting it by hands or with the help of machine. After that, put sugarcane in the crushing machine and a new product form juice.

At the next stage, purify the juice with help of limestone filter, then evaporate the filtered juice, after this stage the juice becomes syrup. Once this done, the stage is centrifuge, which separates sugar crystals from syrup. The last stage is, drying and cooling the product and the final element is sugar.

Overall, the process of making sugar is quite difficult, the first stage is growing sugarcane and the final stage is drying and cooling.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While the main stages of the process are identified, the description is quite brief and lacks the necessary detail to fully develop the report. The overview provided is simplistic and does not effectively highlight the key features or the transformation of the raw material into the final product. To improve, you should aim to describe the stages with more precision and ensure the response length is sufficient to cover all aspects of the diagram thoroughly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of the process. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'At the next stage', 'after this stage', 'Once this done'). The progression of ideas is logical, but the transitions between sentences could be more sophisticated to improve the flow. Paragraphing is present, but the final paragraph is very short and adds little value to the overall structure. Improving the variety of linking words and phrases would enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You rely on simple verbs like 'put', 'make', and 'growing' rather than more precise, process-oriented terminology such as 'extracting', 'refining', or 'cultivating'. There are also some awkward phrasings, such as 'a new product form juice' and 'the stage is centrifuge', which lack grammatical accuracy and natural collocation. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more specific vocabulary related to industrial processes and ensure that your word choices are grammatically integrated into your sentences.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writing contains several grammatical errors that affect the clarity of the text. There are issues with article usage ('the crushing machine'), verb forms ('Once this done' instead of 'Once this is done'), and sentence structure (e.g., 'the stage is harvesting it by hands'). The range of structures is limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences. To improve, focus on using more complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses or passive voice, which are essential for describing processes. Additionally, proofread carefully to correct basic errors in subject-verb agreement and preposition usage.

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