Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-11

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 5.0)

Initially this diagram shows the manufacturing process for making sugar from sugar cane.

Sugar is the thing which we used in our daily life and we all liked it to consume on daily bases.

Now we will see that how sugar is produced.

Initially the sugar cane takes about 12 to 18 months for growing than the farmers harvests the sugar cane from the fields and after harvesting them they started crushing them and after that they purify the juice which they got after crushing into the limestone filter and then they use evaporator until the juice turns into syrup and after the evaporating they separate sugar crystals from syrup and lastly they have to wait for sugar to dry and cool .

After all this process the sugar is ready and thats how the sugar is produced from the sugar cane. But it takes a lot of struggle of farmers and is also a very time consuming process.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main stages of the sugar production process, from growing to drying. However, the report lacks a clear overview or summary of the process, which is essential for Task 1. The tone is overly informal and subjective, including personal opinions such as 'we all liked it' and 'it takes a lot of struggle,' which are not appropriate for an academic report. The description of the process is somewhat repetitive and lacks the analytical comparison expected in an IELTS task. To improve, focus on describing the stages objectively and include a clear introductory overview of the entire process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is written as a single paragraph, which makes it difficult to follow the progression of the process. There is a lack of effective paragraphing and logical structure. Cohesive devices are used, but they are repetitive and mechanical, such as the frequent use of 'and' and 'after that' to link ideas. The flow is hindered by the lack of clear transitions between the different stages of the manufacturing cycle. To improve, use a clear structure with an introduction, a body paragraph for the process stages, and a concluding summary, while varying your linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'thing', 'produced', and 'process'. There is little attempt to use academic or process-specific vocabulary. Phrases like 'on daily bases' (daily basis) and 'the sugar cane takes about 12 to 18 months for growing' are imprecise. The language is conversational rather than academic, which limits the score. To improve, focus on using precise verbs and nouns related to industrial processes, such as 'cultivation', 'extraction', 'centrifugation', and 'refinement', and avoid informal commentary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response consists mostly of simple sentences with some errors in subject-verb agreement and tense usage, such as 'farmers harvests' and 'we used in our daily life'. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, which are necessary for higher band scores. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some run-on sentences and missing commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the grammatical control is limited. To improve, practice using complex sentences with subordinate clauses and ensure consistent use of the present simple tense when describing a factual process.

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

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