Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 illustrates the process of making sugar from sugar cane.

Overall, the production consists of 7 steps, which starts from farming of sugar cane to drying and cooling of sugar as the final output. As mentioned, sugar cane farming is the long lasting procedure which approximately taken 12-18 months.

After growing sugar cane in the field, the farmer harvest it from the using tractors and trucks. The sugar cane is used to make juice through the crushing process and then the juice is purifying with the help of limestone filter.

The mechanical process starts when they are converting the juice into syrup through evaporation technique. This stage is charecterised Later, it is undergoing through a centrifuge process in which sugar crystals are separted from the syrup. A the final step, these crystals are drying and cooling to make the sugar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While the report covers the main stages of the process, the description is somewhat superficial. For example, the transition from evaporation to the centrifuge is incomplete, as the sentence 'This stage is charecterised' is left unfinished. Furthermore, the overview is quite brief and lacks a clear summary of the key features of the process. To improve, you should ensure all stages are fully described and that the response meets the minimum length requirement to allow for a more comprehensive explanation of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized, following the chronological order of the process. You use some cohesive devices such as 'After', 'then', 'Later', and 'As the final step' to link the stages. However, the paragraphing is insufficient; the entire response is presented as a single block of text, which hinders readability. Additionally, some transitions are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'As mentioned, sugar cane farming is the long lasting procedure'. Improving the use of paragraphing and varying your cohesive devices would help create a more professional and structured flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'purifying', 'evaporation', 'centrifuge', and 'crystals'. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'charecterised' and 'separted', and some awkward phrasing like 'long lasting procedure which approximately taken'. The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensure you proofread your work to eliminate basic spelling mistakes that detract from the overall quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'the farmer harvest it from the using tractors' (incorrect article and verb form), 'the juice is purifying' (should be passive 'is purified'), and 'these crystals are drying and cooling' (should be passive 'are dried and cooled'). These errors occasionally impede the clarity of the process description. To improve, focus on mastering passive voice constructions, which are essential for process descriptions, and ensure subject-verb agreement and correct article usage.

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

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