Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The diagram outlines the stages which are involved in the manufacturing process of sugar from sugar cane.

First of all sugar cane's growth process takes 12 to 18 months, after that harvesting begins which will be of two types the traditional one in which humans themselves cut the crops and the new process which will be completed through machinery. Then the harvested sugar canes are through a machine which converts them into juice.

The juice which is produced by the crushing process requires filtration which is done by limestone filter. After the purification process, the juice requires heat for evaporation which converts it into syrup. The syrup has sugar crystals which have to be separated by performing centrifuge, after all these efforts finally sugar is entered in its final stages which are only drying and cooling. The manufacturing process of sugar from sugar cane is completed and now it is ready to be sold in the market.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main stages of the sugar production process, from growth to the final product. You included key details such as the duration of growth, the two harvesting methods, and the specific processing steps like crushing, filtration, and evaporation. However, the response lacks a clear overview or summary sentence that highlights the most significant features of the process, which is essential for a higher band score in Task 1. Additionally, while you mentioned the steps, the connection between the stages could be more analytical rather than just a sequential list. To improve, ensure you provide a concise summary of the overall process in the introduction or conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is logically organized into paragraphs, moving from the initial growth phase to the final manufacturing stages. You use some cohesive devices like 'First of all', 'after that', and 'finally' to guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel repetitive. The use of referencing could be improved; for instance, 'the juice which is produced' could be streamlined for better flow. Paragraphing is present, but the second paragraph is quite dense and could be split to better separate the mechanical processing from the chemical/refining stages, which would improve the overall structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the process, such as 'manufacturing', 'harvesting', 'filtration', 'evaporation', and 'centrifuge'. These terms are appropriate for the task. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'sugar cane's growth process' (which is slightly awkward) and 'sugar is entered in its final stages' (which is not the most natural collocation). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise verbs and nouns related to industrial processes, such as 'extracted', 'purified', or 'crystallized', and ensure your phrasing sounds more academic and less conversational.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occasionally affect the clarity of your writing. For example, 'the harvested sugar canes are through a machine' is missing a verb (e.g., 'passed through'), and 'the traditional one in which humans themselves cut the crops' is a bit wordy. There are also some issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the process, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading and a greater focus on sentence construction to ensure accuracy in more complex structures.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.