Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-13
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 process diagram illustrate manufacturing steps to obtain sugar from sugar cane.
Overall, we can see that it is divided into seven manmade and natural steps.it start with sugar cane and end with sugar crystals.
In the beginning it shows sugar cane which take at least 12 to 18 months of time for ready for cultivation afterwards it is chopped by any medium either using manpower or machines. For small quantity we used manpower but in the case of huge amount we generally used some sort of chopping machines. After this chopped sugar cane is transfer into crushing machine to collect its juice.
Further more sugar juice is purified using limestone filter and then we get pure juice. In next step purified juice is evaporated using heat flames and we get sugar syrup and then Centrifugal process is used to separates sugar crystals from sugar syrup and in the last step sugar is collected using drying and cooling methods.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all the key stages of the sugar manufacturing process, starting from the cultivation of sugar cane and finishing with the collection of sugar crystals. The student successfully identifies the main features and traces the linear sequence from 12 to 18 months of growth, through harvesting, crushing, purifying, evaporating, and centrifuging, down to the final drying and cooling. However, some parts lack full extension or precision, and the overview is slightly basic (e.g., stating it is 'divided into seven manmade and natural steps' rather than synthesising the core transformation). Nevertheless, the response fulfills the basic requirements of an Academic Task 1 summary by presenting a clear overview of the process. This performance aligns with Band 6.0 descriptors.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The text demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement, following the chronological steps of the diagram logically. Paragraphing is used to separate the initial stages from the subsequent processing steps. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical. For instance, transitional phrases like 'In the beginning', 'After this', 'Further more', and 'In next step' are somewhat repetitive and lack smooth integration. Referencing and linking could be more sophisticated. Paragraphing could also be broken down more effectively to separate the preparation phase from the chemical and mechanical extraction phases. These features place the response firmly in Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully incorporating process-specific terms such as 'cultivation', 'chopped', 'crushing machine', 'limestone filter', 'evaporated', 'sugar syrup', and 'Centrifugal process'. However, there are noticeable lexical and spelling inaccuracies, such as 'illustrate' instead of 'illustrates', 'manmade' instead of 'man-made', 'it start' instead of 'it starts', and missing articles (e.g., 'take at least 12 to 18 months of time for ready'). The student attempts less common vocabulary but makes errors in word choice and form that prevent access to higher bands. This is characteristic of Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar and punctuation is inconsistent. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('The process diagram illustrate'), missing auxiliary verbs ('it start with', 'which take'), and awkward phrasing ('take at least 12 to 18 months of time for ready for cultivation'). Punctuation is also weak, evidenced by missing capitalisation and run-on phrasing ('steps.it start'). While these errors do not entirely impede communication, their frequency prevents the text from reaching a Band 6.0. Therefore, a Band 5.5 is appropriate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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