Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-12

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 by which sugar is manufactured from sugar cane.

Overall, the entire process consists of 7 different stages in the production of sugarcane. Starts with cultivation, which took almost 12 to 18 months and ended up with drying and cooling out the material.

Initially, after growing sugar cane the next step is to harvest them it can be done in two ways either manually or by the help of machines. Following harvesting, sugar cane is crushed and an appropriate amount of juice is collected.

Secondly, juice went through the limestone filter for purification to remove impurities. The juice is heated in the evaporator. After that the syrup is centrifuged to separate the crystal from the sugar. Finally, the sugar is dried and cooled down before packaging.

The entire process takes several months for the transformation of sugar which we consumed on a daily basis.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student covers the main stages of the sugar manufacturing process, starting from cultivation and harvesting through to drying, cooling, and packaging. An overview is provided, and some comparisons and details are included, such as the two harvesting methods. However, the response falls short of the 150-word minimum length requirement, containing 148 words, which prevents a higher score. Furthermore, some steps could be elaborated further to fully satisfy all requirements of the task. Because the length requirement was not met, a penalty has been applied under Task Achievement, resulting in a band score of 5.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The text demonstrates a logical sequence from the beginning to the end of the diagram. Cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader through the stages, such as 'Initially', 'Following harvesting', 'Secondly', and 'Finally'. Paragraphing is attempted, though some paragraphs are very short and abrupt, such as the single-sentence concluding paragraph. Referencing is generally clear, but the overall structure lacks smooth transitions and cohesive flow between certain sentences. Despite these minor limitations, the logical progression is evident, leading to a solid band score of 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, incorporating process-specific terms such as 'cultivation', 'harvesting', 'crushed', 'purification', 'evaporator', and 'centrifuged'. There are some awkward phrasings or word choices, such as 'cooling out the material' and 'juice went through the limestone filter'. Spelling is generally accurate, but the lexical range remains somewhat restricted. The vocabulary allows the message to be communicated clearly without significant impediment, fitting the criteria for a band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'The diagram illustrates the process by which sugar is manufactured from sugar cane.' There are several grammatical errors and awkward structures, including 'Starts with cultivation, which took almost 12 to 18 months and ended up with drying and cooling out the material' (fragment/tense shift) and 'harvest them it can be done' (run-on sentence). Punctuation is occasionally missing or misused. These errors do not completely impede communication, but they restrict the response to a band 5.5.

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

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