Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-03

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)

Production of sugar from sugar cane take seven

steps. This process start from growing sugar cane and end with the drying and cooling sugar.

The main root of sugar is sugar cane which grows in the fields and take duration of 12 months to 18 months. Then the second step is harvesting which may be done by people or by machinery. After harvesting sugar cane is send for crushing. In crushing the juice of sugar cane is separated by its waste.

Fourth step is purification in which juice is purified by passing through lime stone filter. The purified juice is send to a container in which juice is evaporated by passing through some heat. And the juice converted in to syrup.

Sixth step is the separation of sugar crystal from syrup which are formed by heating. The last step is drying and cooling the crystals, and the sugar is formed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the sugar production process, from growing the cane to the final drying and cooling. However, the overview is quite basic and lacks a clear summary of the overall process. While the steps are identified, the response fails to highlight key comparisons or the cyclical nature of the process (e.g., the use of heat in multiple stages). The description is largely a list of steps rather than a cohesive report. To improve, you should aim to group related stages and provide a more sophisticated overview of how the raw material is transformed into the final product.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised chronologically, which is appropriate for a process description. However, the paragraphing is poor; the entire response is essentially one block of text, which hinders readability. While some cohesive devices are used (e.g., 'Then', 'After', 'Fourth step'), they are used in a repetitive and mechanical way. The progression of ideas is clear, but the lack of paragraph breaks makes the text feel disjointed. Using a wider variety of linking words and separating the introduction, body, and conclusion would significantly improve the flow and structure of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You rely heavily on simple verbs like 'is' and 'take'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'main root of sugar' (sugar cane is the source, not the root) and 'separated by its waste' (it is separated from its waste). To achieve a higher band, you should incorporate more precise technical vocabulary related to industrial processes, such as 'extraction', 'filtration', 'crystallisation', and 'by-product'. The current range is sufficient to convey the basic meaning but lacks the precision required for a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly with subject-verb agreement and article usage. For example, 'process start' should be 'process starts', and 'sugar cane is send' should be 'sugar cane is sent'. Additionally, there are issues with pluralisation and prepositions, such as 'converted in to' instead of 'converted into'. The sentence structures are mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. To improve, focus on mastering basic verb tenses and passive voice constructions, which are essential for describing processes, and ensure that your subjects and verbs agree consistently.

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

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