Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-19

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 manufacturing of sugar from the sugar cane which consists of seven different steps.Every step has its own methodology and steps.

First of all , the sugar canes are grown for approximately twelve to eighteen months by the farmers, then the harvesting phase begins in which the farmers perform this complicated task of cutting the grown sugar canes .The third stage is crushing in which the sugar canes are crushed by the specialized machines and converted into juice .With the help of the Limestone filter ,juice is purified.By providing heat,evaporator converts the juice into the syrup.The centrifuge separates the sugar crytals from the syrup at the sixth stage .The seventh is the last stage in which the sugar is first dried and then cooled.

Concluding these,the sugar is produced after seven different steps .Every step is necessary and results into a fine product that is sugar .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student addresses all parts of the prompt by describing the seven-step manufacturing process of sugar from sugar cane, noting the main stages from growing and harvesting to cooling and drying. However, the response lacks a clear overview, which is a key requirement for Academic Task 1. Furthermore, certain details from the diagram are omitted or generalized, such as the two harvesting methods (manual and mechanical) and the specific roles of the limestone filter and heat source. While the sequence of steps is generally accurate, the lack of data synthesis and a proper overview limits the response to Band 6.0 according to the task achievement descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response exhibits a coherent overall arrangement, following the chronological order of the process from start to finish. The student attempts to use sequential markers such as 'First of all', 'then', and 'The third stage', which help guide the reader through the text. However, paragraphing is somewhat weak, with the body of the process crammed into a single block of text surrounded by very brief introductory and concluding remarks. Additionally, referencing is occasionally mechanical. Cohesive devices are present but lack the flexibility and smooth progression expected at higher bands, placing this criterion at Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully employing process-related terms such as 'manufacturing', 'specialized machines', 'purified', 'evaporator', and 'centrifuge'. However, there are noticeable lexical errors, such as the spelling typo 'crytals', and awkward phrasing like 'Every step has its own methodology and steps' and 'results into a fine product'. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main points, but lack of precision and occasional word-choice issues prevent the score from exceeding Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student produces a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and prepositional phrases (e.g., 'the harvesting phase begins in which the farmers perform this complicated task'). There are several grammatical errors and awkward punctuation slips, including unnecessary spaces before commas ('First of all , the sugar canes'), redundant articles ('from the sugar cane'), and a fragment in the conclusion ('Concluding these,the sugar is produced...'). While these errors do not severely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the response from reaching Band 7.0, making Band 6.0 appropriate.

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

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