Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The diagram shows the process of manufacturing of sugar from sugatcane. This process comprises of seven steps listed as below.
1. Growing.
2. Harvesting.
3. Crushing
4. Purification
5.Evaporation
6. Centrifugation
7. Cooling.
Firstly, sugar canes were grown and it usually took 12 to 18 months for the growth of sugarcanes. Then these sugar canes were cutting down, a process called as harvesting. After harvesting, sugar canes were tansported to a machine which crushed the sugarcane and produced juice. Juice were collected and transferred to limestone filter for the purification. Filtered juice then moved towards evaporator. Evaporation is a process in which heat evaporates the steam and the remaining product is called syrup. The obtained syrup then undergoes through a centrifuge machine which separated the sugar crystals from the juice. These sugar crystals then dried out and cooled and the final product that obtained is called as sugar. This is the process through which sugar is obtained from sugarcane.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main stages of the sugar production process, from growing to the final product. However, the presentation is somewhat mechanical, as the student lists the steps numerically before describing them in prose. While the main features are identified, the response lacks a clear overview or summary of the process as a whole, which is a requirement for a high band score in Task 1. The description is accurate but lacks the synthesis and comparison of stages that would elevate the response. The inclusion of a numbered list is unnecessary and detracts from the academic tone required for this task.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised chronologically, which is appropriate for a process description. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite basic and repetitive, relying heavily on simple sequence markers like 'Firstly', 'Then', and 'After'. The paragraphing is weak; the entire description is contained in a single block of text following a list, which makes the flow feel disjointed. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall structure lacks the sophisticated linking required for higher bands. The transition between the list and the descriptive paragraph is abrupt and lacks a cohesive introduction.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'comprises of' (should be 'comprises' or 'is comprised of') and 'cutting down' (should be 'cut down'). The student relies on basic verbs like 'moved', 'produced', and 'obtained'. While the technical terms related to the process (e.g., 'centrifugation', 'evaporation', 'limestone filter') are used correctly, the lack of more sophisticated lexical items limits the score. Spelling is generally accurate, but the range of vocabulary is limited.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include tense inconsistency (e.g., 'sugar canes were grown' vs 'sugar canes were cutting down'), incorrect passive voice construction ('a process called as harvesting'), and subject-verb agreement errors ('Juice were collected'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after periods in the list. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors indicates a lack of control over complex structures, keeping the score in the mid-range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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