Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-31

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 making sugar from sugar cane. This process contain 7 stages. The main stages are planting, filtering, separating and at last cooling.

Firstly, we put seeds of sugar cane on the land growing process would take approximately 12 to 18 months. When crops were fully ripe farmers harvest them through different machines or by their hands. After harvesting process the pieces of sugar cane were put into the sugar cane machine where they separates the liquid into the form of juice and crushed sugar cane as a form of by product which is used in making electricity. The juice was go through the filtration process where the limestone filter was placed where the purification was done. The liquid was put into the large container under the stove where the juice evaporates and convert into syrup. Then it go through the centrifuge where sugar crystals separates from the syrup. At last drying and cooling process occurred where sugar are formed and used.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the sugar production process, from planting to the final product. However, the overview is somewhat limited, and the description of the stages is a bit mechanical. While you identify the key steps, the response lacks a clear summary of the overall process flow. Some details, such as the specific duration of the growing phase, are included, but the connection between the stages could be more clearly articulated to show a better understanding of the process as a whole. To improve, ensure you provide a more comprehensive overview in the introduction and focus on the logical progression of the transformation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized in a chronological manner, which is appropriate for a process description. However, the paragraphing is insufficient; the entire body of the report is contained within a single paragraph, which hinders readability. While some cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'After', and 'At last' are used, they are somewhat repetitive. The flow between sentences is generally logical, but the lack of clear paragraph breaks makes the text feel dense. Using more varied transition signals and grouping related stages into distinct paragraphs would significantly improve the coherence and structure of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'purification', 'evaporates', and 'centrifuge' correctly. However, there are some inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as 'sugar cane machine' (a crusher or mill would be more precise) and 'crushed sugar cane as a form of by product'. The word choice is generally functional but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more specific technical terminology related to industrial processes and ensure collocations are natural, such as 'by-product' instead of 'form of by product'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('This process contain', 'Then it go through'), tense inconsistencies ('When crops were fully ripe farmers harvest'), and missing articles or incorrect pluralization ('the sugar cane machine', 'sugar crystals separates'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. To reach a higher band, you need to pay closer attention to verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and the correct use of articles, as these errors occur too frequently to be considered rare slips.

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

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