Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-06

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 6.5)

The diagram illustrates the production process of sugar from sugar cane. Starting from In summary, the process is carried out in 7 steps, starting from planting the sugar cane to ending with drying and cooling the produced sugar.

Initially, sugar canes are grown for around 12-18 months in a farm. Once they are ready for harvesting, they are extracted either through use of heavy machinery or by manual labour and then put in a blender to squeeze out the juices in them. The juices are then purified in a limestone filter and moved to an evaporator, whose primary goal is to heat the juices until their consistency transforms into that of a syrup.

Moving further along, the next step involves passing the syrupy sugar solution into a centrifuge that is in charge of separating the sugar crystals from the syrup. Finally, the freshly formed sugar crystals are transferred to a container where they are dried and cooled.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main stages of the sugar production process, from harvesting to the final cooling phase. You have successfully identified the key steps and provided a clear overview. However, to reach a higher band, you should aim to include more specific details from the diagram, such as the mention of 'crushing' or the specific role of the 'limestone filter' in more depth. The summary is accurate, but it lacks a strong 'overview' sentence that highlights the most significant features or the cyclical nature of the process, which is essential for a high-scoring Task 1 response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear progression from the initial growth phase to the final product. You have used transition signals such as 'Initially', 'Moving further along', and 'Finally' to guide the reader through the steps. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction from the body of the process. While the flow is generally smooth, the opening sentence contains a minor error ('Starting from In summary'), which slightly disrupts the initial cohesion. Overall, the information is presented in a coherent and easy-to-follow manner.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the process, including terms like 'harvesting', 'purified', 'evaporator', and 'centrifuge'. These are appropriate for the context of a technical process. There is some minor awkwardness in phrasing, such as 'extracted either through use of heavy machinery', which could be more naturally expressed. The vocabulary is generally accurate and allows for a clear description of the steps involved, though it lacks the more sophisticated, precise collocations that would characterize a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You have used passive voice effectively, which is appropriate for describing a process (e.g., 'sugar canes are grown', 'juices are then purified'). There are very few grammatical errors, and the punctuation is generally correct. The sentence structure is stable, and the meaning is always clear. To improve, you could incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as participle clauses or more varied relative clauses, to demonstrate greater grammatical flexibility.

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

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