Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-08

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 6.0)

The provided diagram represents the production process of sugar from sugar cane. Overall, the sugar is produced from sugar cane in seven main stages which includes sugar cane growth, harvesting, crushing, filtration, evaporation, crystal separation drying and cooling processes.

The sugar cane takes 12-18 months to achieve its proper growth and then it is harvested manually by farmers or mechanically by harvesting machines. In the next step, sugar cane is crushed until its juice is produced, and then it is passed through filtration process. Juice is filtered out by using limestone filter which purifies the juice, and then it is brought into an evaporator and beneath the evaporator there are fire flames where water is evaporated, and juice is converted into a thick syrup. A huge centrifuge with large fans separates out sugar crystals from heated thick syrup. In the last step, the crystals are dried and then cooled down to room temperature which leads toward the formation of edible sugar, and it is now ready for packaging and distribution.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully identifies the main stages of the sugar production process. You have clearly outlined the sequence from growth to packaging. However, to reach a higher band, you should focus more on the 'reporting' aspect by highlighting the key features of the process, such as the transition from raw material to a refined product. While you have covered the steps, the description is somewhat linear and lacks a more analytical overview of the transformation. Ensure that you clearly distinguish between the input (sugar cane) and the final output (edible sugar) to better demonstrate the process's purpose.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized, moving chronologically through the stages of production. Paragraphing is used, though the second paragraph is quite long and could have been split to improve readability. You use some cohesive devices like 'In the next step' and 'In the last step', which help the flow. However, the connection between sentences could be more sophisticated. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the transition between the mechanical and chemical stages of the process is more fluid.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have used a good range of vocabulary relevant to the topic, such as 'centrifuge', 'evaporator', and 'purifies'. This demonstrates an adequate range for the task. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'beneath the evaporator there are fire flames', which sounds slightly unnatural. To improve, focus on using more precise technical collocations. For instance, instead of 'fire flames', you could describe the heating mechanism more formally. Overall, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning clearly without significant errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'which includes sugar cane growth' (should be 'which include' to match the plural 'stages') and 'passed through filtration process' (missing an article: 'the filtration process'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to article usage and subject-verb agreement. Your control of punctuation is generally good, and the sentences are easy to follow.

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

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