Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-05
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 given process illustrates step by step manufacturing of sugar from sugar cane. Overall, it shows time period for each stage from cultivation of sugar cane to harvesting and processes to sugar in factories, using machinery. Several industrial applications are also mentioned at a high level of production.
Firstly, sugar cane is gown by farmer in almost 12 to 18 months in which it is ready to harvest. Harvested using harvester machine and stored in trucks or cut down manually by labor or farmer. Starting process states the crushing of sugar cane to extract the liquid mineral that is then purified by limestone filter to remove impurities. Moreover, now the main process run in evaporator where it is heated in a furnace or conducting material until juice becomes syrup. Accordingly, further crystal sugars separated by centrifuge from syrup. Lastly, sugar crystals are dried and condensed to make it usable by humans.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main stages of the sugar production process, from cultivation to the final product. However, the overview is slightly inaccurate; the diagram does not show 'industrial applications' or 'time periods' for each stage, but rather the physical steps of processing. The description of the process is generally clear, but it lacks a cohesive summary of the transition from raw material to finished product. To improve, ensure that the overview strictly reflects the information provided in the visual prompt rather than adding external knowledge or misinterpreting the diagram's scope.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into two paragraphs, which is appropriate for a short report. The progression of ideas follows the chronological order of the process. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Moreover', 'Accordingly', and 'Lastly' are used to link the steps. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the phrase 'Starting process states the crushing', which lacks a smooth introduction. The paragraphing is sufficient, but the overall flow could be improved by using more varied linking phrases to connect the stages of the process more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, with relevant terms like 'harvesting', 'crushing', 'purified', 'evaporator', and 'centrifuge'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'liquid mineral' (instead of 'juice' or 'liquid') and 'sugar cane is gown' (a spelling error for 'grown'). The range of vocabulary is sufficient to describe the process, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band. Using more specific technical terminology and avoiding repetitive phrasing would enhance the quality of the writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'process run in evaporator' (missing articles and subject-verb agreement) and 'make it usable' (referring to 'crystals', which is plural). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are instances where sentence construction is awkward, such as 'in which it is ready to harvest'. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they demonstrate a lack of consistent control over complex structures. Increasing the variety of sentence types and proofreading for basic agreement errors would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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